White Noise
by amazonherb
Summary: Jack, Ianto & Gwen end up on a ship on April 12th 1912, time lines become disrupted, mistakes made in the past can hurt you now. Some chapters may end up M rated as it seams to have a life of it's own.!Please Read and review as this is my first go.
1. Chapter 1

White Noise

**Disclaimer: The BBC own Torchwood. I own none of the characters if I did I wouldn't be sat here, but would be an extremely happy bunny. Apologies if any of the additional characters are related to the reader in anyway, but as the Titanic is so well known it felt wrong to Create people to sail her. The people who were saved by the Carpathia have been saved in my story. As for those souls who died? Well, theirs is another story for another time.**

Part 1

Jack lay on the bed staring at the ceiling. His hands tucked behind his head. His thoughts turned to his life so far and his genuine loves, which for a 51st Century man who never dies was actually very few, in fact he could count the number of them on one hand. Out of that only one person completely consumed his thoughts and heart - Ianto Jones. The quiet well-spoken young man who'd had an amazing ability at being at a rift zone before he'd joined Torchwood; he'd helped bring down a Pterodactyl as his "interview" and had an almost godlike ability when it came to coffee. He also had quite a kink when it came to making love. Jack smiled and thought of them in the hothouse, which then led to the water tower, the invisible lift, then into his office and finally into his bunker where they finally lay exhausted and Ianto lay snuggled into Jack.

Jacks old radio softly played in the background in an attempt to lull him to sleep. That was an odd old radio – it was almost empathic the way it tuned into Jacks mood. Haunting music for when he was feeling melancholy, loud dance music, for when he just couldn't keep still, and damn good music for a mighty fine sex session – although its choice of music sometimes was… well ridiculous. It had one night managed to completely put him and Ianto off at the last moment with a burst of Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries- Which left Ianto in a heap of giggles on the floor and Jack scowling at the radio.

Goldfrapp's 'Lovely head' soon turned into Moby's 'Why does my heart feel so bad?' In the middle of 'Here with me' static hiss and crackles sounded from the radio. A faint calling could be heard – Jack strained to hear it. It came though again.

"….ck …d..ou." He sat up disturbing Ianto who mumbled in his sleep before rolling over. Slowly Jack swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his bare feet made no sound on the floor as he crossed the room towards the radio… this time he heard it clearly.

"Jack I need you here." Shocked he stepped back, as he did the static came back before returning to Chicane's 'Low sun'.

He picked up the radio and almost dropped it as he received a small static electric shock. Sucking a finger he turned the radio over and pulled the power lead. As expected the music died and came back when the power was restored. He shook it, not really knowing why or what to expect, but it was something he'd seen his father do many times when trying to get something to work. Confused he made his way back to the bed and snuggled into Ianto like two spoons in a drawer. Just before he fell asleep he realised he recognised the voice. Miss Cornelia Andrews...

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Jack was exhausted; the day had not panned well. Ianto had scolded him for falling asleep with the radio on and wasting energy, the Rift alarm had gone of three times, one for an artefact falling through and landing quite literally in their laps, the other two had them chasing through the streets of Cardiff after more weevils, one of which ended in a storm drain. A steam train had ploughed into a car. Easy enough leave Network Rail's incident management to deal with. Yet there was no wreckage, no train. In fact the tracks had been removed in the 1960's as part of Dr Beeching's cutting of rural rail. All had been 'encouraged' to forget the incident as Ianto handed out coffee laced with Retcon.

He wandered through the hub coffee in hand as he made his way down to shower – Myfanwy screeched overhead and swooped down over Jack causing him to duck and spill his coffee down his shirt. He sighed –

"I should have sent you back to the bloody dinosaurs when I had the chance" he yelled at her. She screamed back her reply

In the bunker he striped down and padded to the shower, glancing at his naked body in the mirror and flicking on the radio as he passed. He stood for ten minutes under the stinging pelt of water as it massaged the day's tension away. His thoughts turned again to Ianto. He smiled and sighed knowing that come the time, he wouldn't be able to deal with loosing Ianto, it would be something that would definitely send him over the edge of that rare place most called sanity.

He finally stepped out of the shower and started to dry humming along with the song on the radio, slowly remembering the words as he went along to finally belting out the lyrics to " I am what I am!" Suddenly the static returned.

"Jack?...Jack Can you here me?" The woman's voice once again called from the midst of the noise

"Are you sure this will work?" a deep voice asked.

" No but we have to try" again the woman's voice.

"Cornelia?" Jack called back to the radio. He dropped the towel on the floor and crossed once again to the radio. He pulled the lead from the back this time the hiss and crackle of the static remained.

"He Heard Us! Please don't remove the power Jack"

That was the last thing he heard that day as water dripped into the socket and an electric shock propelled him across the room breaking his back on the table, his skull on the floor and killing him.

**Please review All critisims taken (as never done this before so even if its a don't carry on! please let me know)**

**thanks**


	2. Chapter 2

White Noise

Disclaimer: The BBC own Torchwood. I own none of the characters if I did I wouldn't be sat here, but would be an extremely happy bunny. Had to get the obligatory Jack's death bit in early. Otherwise who would Ianto Kiss?

Chap. 2

Jack moaned, it was not easy being immortal, the time 'dead' seemed to be longer and the healing process hurt more and more each time. As his skull knitted together he began to get the most horrendous headache. The lack of feeling below his chest ebbed away as his spinal cord refused, leaving a dull ache in each joint.

He felt lips pressed against his. He slowly opened his eyes to see a blurred face close to him.

"Did you have to stop?" he asked Ianto

"Had to wake the sleeping beauty somehow" Ianto smiled. "What happened?"

"Radio got me... I hadn't dried off properly, dripped on it, and managed to get a shock." For some reason he was reluctant to tell him about the voice.

"At your age you should know better" Ianto teased, handing him coffee and toast

"At my age I should be dead!"

"You're looking it this morning sir" Ianto grinned as Jack's inaudible reply melted away

Ianto munched on toast as he read the sub-headlines of the day's paper.

"Oh that's bad." Ianto scowled "Some one has stolen a pocket watch and key from the Exhibition in New York…. They should have left her alone. She's a grave site, not a treasure house."

He flicked on the radio, hoping to catch some further details in the news reports. Jack looked confused at Ianto's outburst.

"What exactly are you on about Ianto?"

"The Titanic... A while ago some one went down on an 'Archaeological' expedition and brought up a load of personal items, bits of coal, crockery, part of the actual ship too. It's all well and good Dr Ballard finding the thing in the 80's, but he should have not released the coordinates. Did you know someone has even stolen the plaque he left down there? I mean its two miles down!"

Jack watched Ianto, whilst he continued dressing.

" You know there are some strange people out there."

"Yes, I'm used to strange, hell we're part of 'Strange' - but this is not only strange... It's sick... It's desecrating a grave site."

"But they can learn so much from Archaeological digs" Jack knew that Ianto was starting a rant, so tongue in cheek, decided to wind him in further.

Gwen banged on the door and without waiting for a reply wandered in.

"Don't you ever wait for an answer? What if we were busy?" Ianto asked

"Working" he tagged on to the end

"Working?"

" She'd be welcome to join in" replied Jack. She scowled at both of them.

"Something's going off on the monitors. They keep getting bursts of static, but there's no rift activity. Do you…." She turned as she heard the door close behind her and the lock click.

"Why did that happen?"

Jack and Ianto looked at each other then shrugged. Gwen tried the door handle frantically pulling to release the lock, the radio once again tuned into static. Jack stared at the radio.

"Jack… Are you there?" Again the woman's voice

"Cornelia?" he whispered

Ianto shot Jack a questioning look and pulled the power cable from the rear of the radio.

"Jack, please don't do that. You're needed here. Get, who was it? Ah Gwen and Ianto"

The static hiss returned

"Bloody hell" Ianto and Gwen breathed out the words

"Is that them? They're there? Now what?" A mans voice asked…

"Please stay where you are we need to get you here" The woman's voice instructed them.

Gwen sat on the bed as Jack crossed over to his easy chair to pick up his socks and shirt.

"Jack???" Gwen's voice sounded pale and worried.

"Oh my god Jack what's happening?"

Slowly Jack watched her turn transparent and saw the wall appear as she slowly disappeared. Jack, still putting on a sock, hopped round to face Ianto to see him drop the radio as he too became see-through and disappeared with a wail.

Shocked, Jack lifted his hands to his face, he could see all his veins, then bones then they became an outline, as the world around him went black.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Gwen woke to find herself lying on a large four-poster bed in a rather sumptuous room. She got up unsteadily, held on to one of the posts as the floor gently rose and fell. The air felt sticky and tasted of ozone. She felt dizzy and much disorientated. A noise came from behind the door opposite. She heard a toilet flush and then water run. Panicking she grabbed a silver hairbrush from the dresser, and hid so that the occupant wouldn't see her as he opened the door.

The door opened, and as the occupant came into the room, she only just managed to stop herself hitting the back of Ianto's head.

"Thank god its you" she sighed. Startled he turned to face her.

"Where are we? Do you know?" she asked him.

"Well we're not in Cardiff any more" he mumbled "A boat, well more of a ship, possibly a liner by the look of this" he replied more audibly.

A muffled moan caught their attention; cautiously they crossed the room to where the noise was coming from.

"Who would be in a wardrobe?" Gwen asked.

He shrugged, "It depends on the wardrobe" Ianto whispered. He grabbed the door handle and looked at her

"Ready?"

She nodded. Ianto yanked open the door. They looked in. nothing just clothes. A muffled curse made them look down, Jack lay in a heap at the bottom of the wardrobe.

"Don't laugh. Help me up"

Jack tried to untangle himself from an errant stole which had wrapped its self round his legs.

"Can someone tell me why am I in a wardrobe?"


	3. Chapter 3

White Noise

**Disclaimer: The BBC own Torchwood. I own none of the characters if I did I wouldn't be sat here, but would be an extremely happy bunny.**

**Thank you to all who's read and also reviewed my ramblings. **

Chap. 3

With Jack finally untangled from clothes and stole's they looked at the room. The luxurious style overwhelmed them. Neither Jack nor Gwen could find the words to express themselves. ..

"Nice …. Bit rich for my tastes" Gwen looked at Ianto.

"That was a bit of an understatement… it's an amazing room. Isn't it rather unusual for Jack to be quiet?"

"Hey! …. I'm thinking ... This place reminds me of somewhere but I can't think where at the moment."

"It's got to be your age. You've had some very senior moments recently" Ianto retorted.

"Hey there's another room here. It's a lounge!" Gwen called through a door,

"Oh my god! It's got a private deck! You can see for miles - admittedly there's nothing to see but you can see it for miles!!"

"I really do not like ships" Jack moaned

Ianto was rummaging around the writing desk placed by the porthole, he looked up at Jack.

"You do look at little green round the edges. Are you ok?"

"No! I really don't like ships. They have an unsavoury habit of sinking"

"Oh come on! Not all of them do" Gwen retorted as she came back into the room.

" HUMMMM. I have reason to believe that this one will"

Jack and Gwen looked at Ianto sharply as he held up a headed post card… it read, "White star line…RMS Titanic" with a picture of the ship in full sail.

"You really know how to put a crimp on someone's day" Jack was not happy at all.

x-x-x-x-x

How the hell did we get here? Why the hell are we here? They were just two questions currently going through Gwen's mind. A knock at the door startled her from her thoughts.

"Ianto – you're going to have to get that" Jack hissed.

"Why me?"

"One your dressed, I'm not, Two Gwen's in trousers! The ladies do not wear trousers in this time period. Three... you're closest!"

Gwen turned to hide in the bathroom and Jack scuttled towards the door for the bedroom.

Ianto counted to three, regained his composure and answered the door. A white-jacketed steward bustled in pushing a trolley laden with food.

"Would sir like to take tea on the promenade or in the lounge?"

Ianto gave into temptation – he owed Jack one- and decided to eat on the Deck, regardless of Jacks dislike for the sea. He smiled to himself

"The promenade"

"Very good sir- I have a message for you also sir"

"Thank you…?"

"First Steward Thomas Whitley sir"

He handed over a sealed envelope, placed the food on the table and left.

Jack and Gwen emerged from their hiding places. Jack scowled at Ianto's decision to eat outside.

"I will get you back for this" he warned

"I'm looking forward to it" Ianto smiled

"You wont be able to sit by the…"

"Oh stop it you two, I really don't want to know. Jack, if it's that bad eat inside and we'll shout at you from out here" Scolded Gwen eyeing up the feast that had been left.

Jack gave a backwards wave as he walked into the room whilst shaking his head. He picked up the note Ianto had placed on the dresser. "Oh! Looks like we have a date" he called.

"Oh yeah? when?"

"In about 15 minutes. It looks as if the Captain may be joining us."

Another knock on the door disturbed them, this time Jack answered, only to find a young lady stood there. She looked up at him, her stern face betrayed by a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Cornelia!" he exclaimed then dragged her in and gave her a hug.

"Oh! how I've missed you Jack. How is France?" She replied hugging him back.

"Still French! Where as you have not changed one bit. You still dress too old for your age, but you defiantly are one beautiful lady… do you still have the legs that go all the way to the top? " he commented suggestively

"Yes Jack they are still there and still mine. You are a terrible old man!" She giggled, which drew Ianto and Gwen in from the deck.

"Ah.. This must be Gwen and Ianto" She eyed them up and down. Both felt very uncomfortable. Pushing back a stray wisp of blond hair from her eyes, which had managed to escape the no nonsense style, she smiled at Ianto.

"Oh he's nice Jack.. French?"

"No I'm Welsh"

Gwen heard the jealousy in Ianto's voice almost at dangerous levels. Fortunately Jack heard it too and let Cornelia go.

"How did you get us here? I need to see what you used" Jack replied.

"The comms you pinched from me helped, plus a little Marconi magic and something I managed to… well… liberate from the cellars of Torchwood1"

"Does Alice know you've been in the cellars again?"

"What's Marconi magic?" asked Gwen

"I think the Titanic was the first ship to have a Marconi wireless on it." Explained Ianto.

"No she doesn't and yes it is the first. With a little knowledge, and the help of the operators, I linked everything up to the frequency of my comms. Which, in turn is linked to your wrist strap Jack, so with a few tweaks, I managed to get you here"

Gwen looked closely at Cornelia. "I'm sorry but that was a little advanced for a 1900's lady. It's more than advanced for some of the 21st Century women too! Are you a time agent like Jack used to be?"

"Not exactly, I just travel a lot" Cornelia refused to elaborate any further on her travels or knowledge.

"I wasn't sure it would get you here from France, after all it is a rather long way away"

You didn't drag us from France, You dragged us from Wales, 2009 to be exact"

"2009! Really 2009? That shouldn't be possible with the set up I used" gasped Cornelia.

Another knock disrupted them. Captain Smith entered. He was a bold, imposing man, his white beard reminded Gwen of the Store Father Christmas's she used to visit as a child. However, his eyes bore a hunted look and he stood uneasily.

"Miss Andrews," He nodded a greeting to her. "Its nice to see you actually standing still"

"Good afternoon Captain, This is my colleague and his … associates"

The Captain held out his hand to shake Jacks hand in greeting.

"Captain Harkness, Mr Ianto, Miss Gwen – I'm sorry you've had rather a strange journey but you colleague assured me it was quite safe. – I can't pretend to understand what she's talking about, but I'm rather glad you are here. I would like to ask Torchwood officially for help"


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you every one who's R & R'd it's keeping me sane at the moment!**

**As always i don't own Torchwood or any of its characters although wishful thinking sometimes helps me through the day!)**

**Chapter 4 - Surprising arrival**

"How do you know about us?" Ianto asked.

"I've looked at your faces for the past twenty years now"

He reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a battered piece of card and handed it to Ianto.

"This is a photo… I remember it being taken a few months ago when the Doctor and Martha were at the hub. How did you get this?"

"Nearly twenty years ago, I was captain of a small ship called 'the Jupiter'. I was privy to something very strange.. I was carrying an unknown cargo, and passengers… One of which was you… am I correct Captain.."

"Yes I remember… the Europa cargo.."

"So I believe… I can't remember all of what happened, I have gaps in my memory for that.. but before the …. The doctor…. I believe everyone called him that, left he gave me this picture and simply said 'remember the names remember the date you will need them' then he somehow vanished from my ship. I remember getting to America with no cargo and no passengers but very limited memories between collecting the cargo from Liverpool and arriving at New York."

"And Torchwood?"

"Meeting Cornelia was simply a chance encounter, She was looking for something and I happened to be investigating a power problem"

"I boarded at Southampton. I'd heard the rumour of a new Torchwood there. Just checking out the lay of the land. I think it's on Ellis Island. " Cornelia told them.

"Makes sense really. They dealt with Immigration and illegal aliens there, we just deal with Aliens" Ianto remarked dryly.

"Anyway… the power started being drained not long after we left Southampton. Then the first passengers started going missing, reports of ghosts on board, strange crackling and hissing noises and strange ships circling us, the Captain and I simply ended up bumping into each other trying to investigate. He showed me the photo, and using some of the tech I brought with me, I managed to get you here"

"Yes, but you've dragged us from Cardiff in the future, not from 1912 France"

She shrugged, "You're here, that's all we need"

"It's not just steerage passengers disappearing, but now a first class Passenger has gone missing. Colonel Astor is missing. He was walking on the promenade with his wife Madeline, she turned away to speak to someone, both heard this strange hissing noise and when she turned round he was gone. No one saw him disappear and he's defiantly not overboard." Continued the captain

"Who's Colonel Astor" Gwen whispered at Ianto.

"Wealthiest Passenger on the Titanic. Colonel John Jacob Astor built and owned hotels and skyscrapers… Very Controversial. Divorced his wife and went off with an Eighteen year old," he whispered back.

"Captain we need to look around freely, investigate some of these claims" Jack requested.

"Shouldn't be too hard if we're dressed as staff" Gwen suggested

"No. You forget the British class system; we wouldn't have much freedom at all"

"First class can go anywhere and it sounds like its somewhere on first. I've got a horrible feeling I know what it is, and it's not good. If I'm right, it's a weapon, obtained by the Time agency. It gathers power from any source, steam, electricity, even humans. It'll take from whatever is passing. Its explosion doesn't hurt anyone. It simply disrupts the time chain" Jack explained.

"I think I understood only a small part of that" Gwen was slightly confused

"Think of time as a series of chain links, today followed yesterday, tomorrow follows today ad infinitum… An Accelerator will break the links and disrupt them so that yesterday follows tomorrow, or next week, even last year. A planet cannot cope with this and its life cycle dies out. One minute you could be walking on a beach... next you're dinner for a dinosaur. It is possible to turn it off but I have no idea how and I've never heard of one being turned off without causing some damage. How it's got here is another question"

Captain Smith took out his pocket watch to check the time. "I need to go, Duty beckons. What ever you do please consider my passengers, and the name of the company. I don't want anymore disappearances. Miss Gwen, Miss Cornelia, would you like to join me at tea? Captains table?"

"Thank you that would be lovely, but I don't think I would be suitably dressed for the occasion." Gwen replied rather depreciatingly.

"I can help you there Gwen, I'm sure I can liberate some clothing from the ladies here..."

Gwen looked hopeful at Jack and Ianto, "I don't suppose it could hurt? And I do rather standout"

"We need to get information and find this Accelerator – not buck for a social promotion" Jack replied

"Don't be a sour puss. If it's in the first class area we may be able to gain some information one way or another... He never was one for formal occasions. He prefers to dress down instead of up" Cornelia poked Jack in the ribs, her brown eyes twinkled at some past memory.

"Dress down and right off!" Ianto murmured under his breath.

Jack heard the comment and arched his eyebrows suggestively. "Later, you'll need to think of a safeword!"

"Why don't we mingle with the men and let the ladies do whatever ladies do. It'll be a start on getting any information" Ianto suggested.

"As long as I don't have to go on deck and see the sea"

"There is the smoking room. – No ladies. No windows. You'll be fine there"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Whilst Cornelia ensured Gwen was suitably dressed, Jack and Ianto ventured

down a level into the gentleman's room. They were amazed at the opulence of it, gilded lighting and mahogany panels, stained glass was back lit. Soft leather chairs hid many of the occupants. A steward showed them to an area where they could be seated and brought whiskeys for them both. Jack's appearance caused many glances, as did Ianto's immaculate suit.

They sat in silence listening to snatches of conversation floating through the area. A tall impressively dressed man waked towards them. His smile just visible under his moustache.

"Gentlemen, How do you do? I'm Bruce Ismay, Chairman of the White Star line. What do you think of my Ship?" He held out a hand for them to shake

"Impressive beyond doubt. Captain Jack Harkness and Mr Ianto Jones, My Colleague"

"Ah I should have guessed a man of military bearing. And what brings you on board the Titanic?"

Jack smiled "Who would want to miss the amazing Titanic? Tell me what makes the press believe she is unsinkable?"

Ianto rolled his eyes "I'm sorry, the captain gets a little nervous on ships"

"No need to be on this one Captain. The designer is probably the best person to speak to regarding the whys and how's, but yes, she is completely unsinkable, and I hope to prove shortly, the fastest ship to cross the Atlantic and regain the Blue Ribbon"

"Now that would be something to see" replied Ianto, "I understand that her top speed is 22 knots, didn't the Kaiser Wilhelm Der Gross take the ribbon at 22.5 knots?" asked Ianto?

"Our advertised Speed is 22 knots, I wanted to surprise the competition, besides we have a 'secret' that may help us beat the competition" Ismay smiled.

"Why don't you gentlemen join us?" Ismay swept his arm round to indicate a few men sat in a huddle by the fireplace.

As they walked over Ismay introduced them to his companions,

Thomas Andrews – Designer of this wonderful ship, Isador Strauss, Owner of Macy's department store in New York, Major Archibald Butt, and James Joseph Brown"

There was a little hint of distain as he introduced Mr Brown,

"New Money" he whispered theatrically in way of explanation.

"So how do you aim to break the Blue Ribbon? Surely steam can only power so much?" Jack asked directly

"Talk about subtle" Ianto sighed.

"We've been trying to get that out of Ismay since we came on board, he's always played his cards close to his chest" Replied Brown

"Only so you can't steal it and patent it. It was quiet by accident; it was discovered in the dockyards where she was built. "

"That would be the ones in Ireland?"

"Yes Harland and Wolf in Belfast"

Ianto leaned over to Jack, "I heard there was a small rift there before the 1800's but your 'Friend' managed to close it somehow"

"Anything come through?"

"Not sure. The records weren't kept very well"

"Captain" Major Butt interjected, "Captain of what? Which regiment?"

"I'm a flyer, not an army man, although I have been close to many battles"

"Ah those flying machines... Won't catch on mark you. Have you done much flying?

"More than you can imagine and flown further than you would believe possible but most of its secret work so I can't really explain much more"

"And you Mr Jones?"

"Sorry I can't say much either"

"Ah… I think I understand... Spying and all that"

"Something like that" agreed Ianto

"It's rather unusual for an American to be involved in Europe." He remarked on Jacks accent.

"Unfortunately there's an ill wind brewing which will end up being more than just a scuffle which Brittan can suppress"

"Nonsense! Remember the Great in Great Brittan!" Major Butt came across very pompous. Ianto hid his smile behind his drink.

Suddenly they heard the blare of a horn. A cry from the deck could be heard. Jack and Ianto pushed through the crowds gathered down one side of the ship… scanning the ocean they and the 200 people viewing the scene saw the top of a U-boat's conning tower. The German war cross showing proudly on top. Water gushed off as the submarine raised itself from the depths of the water.

**-x-x-x-x-x**

**_Thank you next one may take a little longer to complete as I'm mixing two pov's.._**

**_Amazon_**

**_x_**


	5. Chapter 5

Chap5 – Three Captains

"Ianto we need to get these people off the deck- something is drastically wrong here"

"You don't say?" He replied

Jack looked at Ianto "You do know what they say about Sarcasm?"

Ianto coerced Ismay, Brown, and the Major into getting everyone off the deck and into the gentleman's smoking room.

"Captain Harkness! What is going on?"

"I'm sorry Major I can't tell you."

"You mean you will not?"

"No I mean I can't, as I am not exactly sure myself, although I'm sure Captain Smith will be dealing with it."

"Hah! Captain Smith is nothing but a lucky old man and shouldn't be helming thisship" the Major replied.

"That may be so but he is still the Captain"

-x-x-x-x-x

Gwen and Cornelia were having a whale of a time. Cornelia had managed to dress Gwen so she looked elegant and almost a lady. They had wandered around the lower decks flirting with any crew they stumbled across. They gained snippets of information, and also laid trails of misinformation throughout. They turned a corner into another corridor and stopped. Gwen stepped back and looked down the corridor they had just left. Then stepped forward again looking intently at the new corridor.

"Whatever is the matter?" Asked Cornelia

"This is wrong, the style is different."

"Different area, second class passengers are allowed round here"

"No look at the _Style_" Gwen emphasised, Piano music could be heard in the background.

"Look this picture. This is an Art Deco picture of the ship the Queen Mary. This corridor belongs on a different ship."

Cornelia looked closely at the picture.

"We can't be on another ship?"

She stepped back into the other corridor; sure enough the styles were different. Although opulent, the new corridor seemed rather more modern.

"Art Deco" explained Gwen.

A door opened, a well-built immaculately dressed man, with many rings on his fingers stepped into the corridor. Even with just a simple suit, it was possible to tell that this man was a showman. His smile was genuine and welcoming. His gestures extravagant. He gave a little wave to Gwen and Cornelia. If he was startled at their clothing he didn't show it.

"That confirms it… That was Liberace!" Gwen exclaimed

"Who?"

They backed up so they were standing in the old corridor. Gradually the corridor in front wavered and returned to the same style as the rest of the ship.

"Lets go up on deck" they said together rather un-nerved.

"I could murder a cup of tea"

"Pardon?"

" It just means I really need a cup of tea"

"You're not the only one" another voice joined them.

Together they turned round. Stood in front of them was a tall well-built woman. The corset had nipped in the waist to an hourglass figure. Her hair was styled high in the latest fashion. White gloves complimented the tailored jacket, which loosely covered the simple dress.

"Margaret Brown" she introduced herself. "However most people call me Molly. Do you know what was all that about? One minute I'm walking down this corridor, the next I'm walking down a completely different corridor, with people coming towards me in very strange clothing… Ladies were wearing trousers! Of all things wrong! Yesterday I swear I saw a Chinese ship on the horizon. I do believe this ship is cursed!"

She twittered on hardly stopping for breath. Both Cornelia and Gwen couldn't get a word in until finally Molly stopped talking and started listening.

"I do believe you may be right, but we do desperately need a cup of tea. Would you care to join us?" Gwen managed to get to speak.

Together the three ladies made their way to the Café Parisienne, which overlooked the port side of the ship's deck.

They sat together quietly, and watched various people passing by, until tea arrived.

"Do you know what I think?" Molly asked.

"Please tell"

"We're on a ship that's part of a secret government experiment. The British and American governments keep denying things but I know in my heart that there is something going off!" Molly sat back please she had divulged what she believed to be a strong theory.

Together Cornelia and Gwen leant forward.

" I need you to be honest Molly and we need you too be secretive"

"There is something going on… but it's not the government of any country… A weapon has been brought on board. It's the cause of these occurrences."

Molly looked at the two ladies sharply.

"I knew it! Are you Government?"

"We're not part of the government, we report a lot higher than the government, but we need your help. We need to be able to be able to search rooms for this disruptive thing. I know that you can be a force to be reckoned with. You've fought for juvenile justice; children's, women's and miner's rights; and social equality. You're an associate member of the Denver Woman's Press Club, you've ran for senate, and you've campaigned for women's right to vote. You are not afraid of anything, we need you to be able to gain confidences and find something that someone doesn't want to be found. You have the advantage that not many people out side of America know of you."

"How do you know about me?"

"We have rather specialised knowledge, " Cornelia replied

"What does this thing look like?"

"That's our problem. We don't know"

"Jack might" Suggested Cornelia

As they drank their tea, Cornelia explained about Torchwood to Molly, Gwen Learnt a little more about the whole history of the organisation from its conception and patron to how Jack became involved. Both Molly and Gwen drank the information in.

"Does this not worry you or seem strange?" She asked Molly

"Hell no! Living with James was strange! This could be a walk in the park. I'll help, but I want in on your organisation" She spat on her hand and held it out to the ladies. Gwen smiled and did the same. Cornelia stared at Gwen as if she was slightly insane.. "Do you often offer total strangers jobs in Torchwood?" she whispered

"Retcon" was all Gwen would reply.

Walking back along the promenade they heard the cries of surprise and fear as the Conning tower of the U-boat raised itself out of the water. Ianto and Jack were ushering everyone into the Lower decks till the only remaining people were Jack, Ianto, Gwen, Cornelia, Captain Smith and Molly

-x-x-x-x

Captain Karl Endras was a patient man. Being commander of a U-boat you had to be, Stalking ships took a long time, they didn't just float into view from nowhere or so he thought…

He'd been trailing an intermittent signal for 2 days now. Despite several views through the telescope he had not seen anything. He swore to himself, this bloody technology the fuehrer had insisted on installing. God knows where it had come from, he knew it was something to do with the Special officers he had on board. He also knew that it was linked to his mission. To find the resting place of the Titanic.

Again out of sheer frustration he ordered the sub to be raised to periscope level. He circled the periscope scowling at it before peering through it. He'd almost completed a full 360 search when he was distracted by a yell from his 'Sonar' man. Apparently the man had had enough training on the new tech that he could here the noise ships made as they passed, down in the depths. He had been explained to him how the propellers make little bubbles as they spin, and the bubbles popping make tiny noises. This is what this 'Sonar' listened out for.

He looked at the Sonar man to see him fall from his chair rapidly pulling off the earphones and holding his ears.

Karl looked back into the periscope. The prow of a ship bore down on to U-boat. "Dive!" he yelled the urgency in his voice spurring the men surrounding him into action. "Sound for collision" Klaxons went off around, men held on as the sub took a 50o nosedive. By some miracle they were not hit.

He looked at his men as the sub levelled out. He knew they believed he was lucky. He believed differently. He had 'secrets' that he hated himself for. He'd taken the task of finding the spear of Christ so he could either disappear or die trying, but his famous 'luck' had lead him the to Jesuit priest.

The priest had been willing to give him the spear, simply handing it to him with a warning, "Don't let him use it. It has more power than you believe"

He remembered laughing at him "Why? Will it destroy the world?"

"In a manner of speaking yes" the old man had replied before walking off into the dessert.

It was now, that the warning worried him. Hitler had become obsessed with finding occult objects to 'help' him win this godforsaken war. And now here he was searching for the last resting place of the Titanic, looking for some artefact to help him win it."

He shook his head to return to his senses. "What just happened Frederick?"

"Captain, you saw there was nothing then this ship?"

Karl nodded

"I heard nothing then a massive noise roaring, screaming, popping all at once. It was as though someone had dropped the Bismarck in the water in front of me. I'm sorry captain"

"You did the best you could Frederick, After all you are the only one who knows anything about this technology, It's so new even the Americans haven't thought of it yet. Rest them I want you back at post within the hour"

Karl looked round. The men were still looking at him. "Tomas. Put us on the roof" he commanded.

The hull popped slightly as they rose to periscope depth again, Karl checked around, he saw the ship beside them and caught the name. "Christ" he stood back, then looked again

"Tomas. Angel time, you and Jorgen with me."

By the time the three men had climbed to the top of the conn tower the sub had raised itself out of the water. Tomas opened the hatch and climbed through. They heard his gasp, then as they stood on the conn, they too gasped. Fully resplendent with pennants still flying the Titanic sailed beside them. Looking down were hundreds of passengers, all in the Fashion of 1912.

Karl raised his binoculars and scanned the crowed. His eyes caught the white uniform of Captain Smith, he looked as stern as his photo's. Next to him a young man didn't recognise, then his gaze stopped at the next man. "Herr Eiderman" he murmured under his breath. He had read every clipping of Herr Eiderman, he Hero worshipped him.. Wanted to meet him, discuss history and archaeology with him. Herr Eiderman had returned to Germany with the Crown of Christ. Hitler offered him everything for it. But he took nothing. The man was amazing. Beside him were three women two completely surprised, the other scowling looking down towards the water.

Using a torch he signalled to the Titanic requesting permission to come aboard. The return answer was 'yes'

"Tomas. You will stay here. If anything happens you continue with the mission. Jorgen you and your colleague with me." Karl disliked the two 'Special' officers Jorgen reminded him of a rat. Greased back hair and a pockmarked face did nothing but emphasis the mans habit of easy violence. His long noise twitched constantly.

Hans was the better out of the two, his blond boyish looks belied his actual age. He preferred persuasions to get what he wanted. Oh he could be nasty but it was a shock, rather like being bitten by a friendly dog. They too reported direct to Hitler.

The hatch on the top of the conning tower opened and 3 officers clambered on top of the tower. They watched one officer flash a request to come aboard.

"Captain it might be better if you let me talk our way out of this" suggested Jack.

"I agree, but please have consideration for our passengers"

A ladder was dropped for them to come aboard. As they did their eyes were wide as they took in the details of the ship. One, Ianto presumed was the captain, snapped off a salute.

"Captain Karl Endrass at your service" he stated completely ignoring the other two officers behind him.

The captain of the Titanic nodded a greeting.

"I'm Captain Smith, this is Captain Harkness, and that is Mr Ianto"

Ianto watched a flicker of confusion race across the German captain's face. "Did he know Jack from somewhere?" Ianto wondered silently to himself

"Do you understand where you are?" asked Jack

"Yes sir, but that is not possible.

"Not sir, my names Jack"

One of the other Germans interrupted. "Captain Jack Harkness? Of Torchwood?"

Jack and Ianto nodded.

Gwen's eyes narrowed. "I thought we were supposed to be a 'Secret Organisation'? How come everyone knows of us?"

"James bond effect.. Everyone knows he's a spy. Well it's the same with us by the sounds of things" Whispered Ianto

"Torchwood has helped the German government in the past" responded Jack

"They retrieved some objects of our history for us… they have great power. The Fuhrer is after more. I believe that if you are here, then so is the object we have been instructed to search for" explained the little rat faced German, Captain Endrass introduced his Officers and Jorgen Hirsch and Hans Eberstark.

"This object is not something occult for the Fuhrers little get together! We are - or you are – trapped in some sort of time error. A weapon has been charged on this ship. Stay here and you will regret it. Leave and you will be able to fight another day. Time is your enemy now not us. Please be well away from here before sundown" Jack retorted fighting down an itch to thump the man.

"If it is a weapon then I will take it for the Fuhrer. You British will not use it against Germany."

Captain Endrass spoke rapidly to the younger German officer, to calm him down. He knew Jorgen's hatred for the British, although he did not know why. May be it was simply due to the war, or more than likely Jorgen simply hated everyone except Jorgen Hirsch.

Karl was really confused. He knew the man as Herr Eiderman, not Captain Jack Harkness from that odd organisation called Torchwood. If he was the same man, Herr Eiderman should have been nearly 60 not as young as this Jack was.


	6. Chapter 6

**My thanks to the wonderful emelye 14283 who's been beta'ing.**

**Usual disclaimers apply but still wishing Santa would leave a yummy Ianto in my stocking!**

**Please review...**

* * *

Chapter 6

Jorgen and Hans were whispering to each other. Karl overheard snatches.

"If Torchwood's on board, then something is here……. Blow it up?"

Karl turned back to the captains "Excuse me a moment" angrily he strode over to the two whispering men.

"What does it take for you not to want to blow something up Jorgen, you resort to violence too easily… You have your instruments with you?"

They both nodded"

"Search the ship…Gently…Remember that there will be some survivors we don't want them to tell tales"

He turned back to see Captain Harkness and Mr Jones watching him closely, their faces serious. Suddenly Jack gave his 100KW smile and draped his arm round Karl.

"Whatever you are looking for, it's not here. Do you really want to take the risk of sinking this ship, How would you get back home? Ask yourself, are we in your time or are you in ours?"

"Would you really be able to abandon 2000 souls?" Ianto asked

Karl thought deep and hard. He finally came to a decision. The truth now would make any lies he needed to tell later, more plausible.

"Hitler has the Spear of Destiny now, as well as the Crown of Christ. He wants Christ's Staff now, he… I heard it was on the Titanic. We were looking for her resting place. With the equipment we have on board, the pressure would have been no problem"

"I've heard the legend, the three of them together will enable the holder to be all powerful – gods son if you will- He'd conquer the world, or be its saviour"

"well that's a good excuse for slaughtering millions I suppose " Ianto shook his head. "Why the Titanic? I remember nothing about a staff, Cursed Mummy yes but no staff. What equipment?"

"Now that one's not true, It's not cursed I just needed to keep everyone away from the Mummy. Germany has a form of Torchwood" Smiled Jack

Together they walked down to the smoking room, Karl took in all details with a quick glance, Once in there they found a secluded corner and carried on talking, Karl was aware that the longer they talked, the longer Hans and Jorgen would have to find the staff.

"May I ask a question Captain?"

"Yep, but you might not get an answer you like,"Jack replied

"Or understand" muttered Ianto.

"Are you by any chance related to Herr Eiderman? You look so similar to him" Karl asked.

Jack started "Now that's a name I've not heard for a long time" he mused " Yes you could say that I am"

"His son Maybe? Is Herr Eiderman still alive?"

"Oh he's very much alive. Why?" Smiled Jack

Karl looked embarrassed. " He was my fathers friend, my godfather, he travelled the world finding lost artefacts, he found the crown of Christ, gave it to Hitler, didn't ask anything in return"

"I didn't have much of a choice I was compromised"

Karl and Ianto both looked at him sharply.

"Jack's a little different… He ages slow…Really slow" Ianto leaned over to Karl" why the Truth? Where are your other officers? What are they really looking for?

x-x-x-x-x-x

Jorgen pulled out a small cubed device from his jacket pocket and passed it to Hans.

"Is this a Verfolger? I've only heard of these." Hans stared at the cube slowly turning it in his hands.

"Yes Be Careful with it. Press the blue side that'll help" Jorgen snarled at Hans. He didn't like Han's lack of Knowledge or experience and frequently had to stop himself from hitting Hans in exasperation.

The cube immediately elongated into a flat rectangle and a gentle beep emanated from it as regular as a heartbeat.

"If Torchwood are here we need to be quick. The cargo hold would be the best place to start. Keep listening to that when it beeps continuously then we've probably found the staff, and we can get off this thing before it sinks."

Together they made their way down to the hold, Hans took in the changes from opulence to standard to simple utility. He checked the Verfolger again, still its little beep had not faltered. They reached the hold doors when the Verfolger flickered to an orange glow and a low drone could be heard. "What did you press?" snapped Jorgen.

"Nothing"

"Then there's something in there" he took the machine from Hans and pushed him towards the door. After all Hans was replaceable, the Verfolger was not.

Eyes wide with fear Hans stepped inside the hold, his gun cocked just in case. He wasn't sure what good the gun would do, but he'd heard rumours about Jorgen. He was a man who'd corrupted and murdered his way to where he was. His intelligence came a close second to his enjoyment of causing death. Apparently he even disgusted the SS and Gestapo. But that was irrelevant at this time, he needed to concentrate, be alert for whatever monster was in there and be wary of the monster behind him.

He gazed round boxes and scuttled around the little corridors made from passenger's baggage. He could see nothing. He called Jorgen in, who strolled though the door intently gazing at the Verfolger.

They spent the next 2 hours wandering around the cargo hold. The Verfolger had beeped furiously at a small crate, when they opened it all it contained was a rock. Disgusted Jorgen hammered the lid back on the crate, and stomped over to another pile of boxes. Hans followed him. From the corner of his eye he saw a movement in the shadows. He stopped and stared intently into the darkness beyond the ring of light their torches made.

He yelled out as something warm wrapped itself around d his legs.

"Pull yourself together!" Jorgen snapped at Hans "Its just a cat".

-x-x-x-x-x-

In the secluded corner, Jack, Karl and Ianto huddled talking quietly to each other.

"Well?" Jack asked leaning back into the chair.

Karl sighed, "You are aware of Hitler's plans? Well now the Americans are in the war he feels a little threatened. He wants more power and with the three items he really believes he will be more powerful than anything this world has ever seen. I think he's mad. Christ wasn't the Son of God; he was simply a man, wrong place wrong time. He may have had views, which for then was radical, but I don't believe he was God's son. God abandoned this place a long time ago. The spear, the Crown and the staff are all just bits of wood."

"That's your view?" asked Ianto.

"My View. Yes"

"You've survived that long with that view…you're nearly as crazy as Hitler is. But still you've search the world for these bits of wood?" Ianto shook his head in disbelief.

"Its safer than being at the front fighting rabid Russians or flying those huge bombers whilst little spitfires tare you apart bit by bit. I was born by the sea, and the sea loves me. I know that when I die she will take me in her arms and down to Neorð. And there I will stay by the side of the gods of the sea."

At this Jack paled, the thought of being under millions of tonnes of water made him want to be sick. He'd have a long swim back to any dry land. Ianto glanced at Jack who smiled wanly at him.

"How old are you Captain? Who are you in reality?Are you really Eiderman? What do you mean compromised?" Karl's sudden barrage of questions took Jack by surprise.

"It's a very long story. I used to be a con man, travelling with a close friend. Back in the 20's I somehow got conned into finding the Crown of Christ. I persuaded your father to help me find it. We did eventually. Once we had found it we ran, Egypt wasn't such a friendly place then for 'outsiders'. I messed up big time, did something reckless which allowed Hitler's 'Special team' to catch up with us. They have a perverted pleasure in the death of anything that isn't to the plan of Hitler. Your father was tortured in front of me, and then just before he was on the brink of death they would stop and start on me, then when he was sufficiently healed, they'd let me heal then start on him. I think they went through the manual, Water torture, Sleep deprivation, Thousand cuts, Branding, the German Chair, at one point they tried psychological torture. Bound and gagged we were led to a wall. We were blindfolded, and left there, it may have only been five minuets it felt like a lifetime. A shot rang out, and we heard someone crumple to the ground. Naturally we both thought it was the other. It was another wretch, brought out when we were blindfolded. This went on for weeks on end. I gave in and let them have it so they wouldn't kill your father. Hitler insisted on meeting me, to thank me, and when he left they killed your father in the name of Sport.

First they tried to cripple him and then freed him into the dessert. They hunted him down. It took them two weeks to find him. He'd survived with no food or water. They flayed him and left him to die, I found him a month later, The Telgar's race is hardy and can survive most things, but having endured 6 weeks of pain, he quietly died in my arms. When I find the bastards that did that to him, I am going to be quite inventive, when it comes to ways of dying"

"Who was The Telgar?"

" You don't know anything about your father? Mind you your mother was secretive. The Telgar is an honorific title. Your father was a minor prince of his people, sent out across the stars, to collect things, but he never returned home. He met your mother, met me, had you and between them held the most wonderful parties. I had to tell your mother she was a widow and her son was fatherless. She cried for three whole days solid. Then her mind snapped. She went along as is nothing had happened. I left before you came home from sea trials. I never went back. I wrote but the letters were always returned, then I heard she'd gone mad, her son had had her committed to an asylum. You always were a caring child.

Karl sat staring beyond Jack, shocked beyond belief, in a matter of moment he'd found out who his father was, how he'd died and the fact he was not human, so that made him… His mind reeled at the thought.

-x-x-xx-

The cat had wound itself around the startled Hans' legs; each time he moved the cat was there, trying to trip him. It meeped at him: and begged to be picked up.

Hans bent to pick it up; in the torchlight he could see that it was a rather splendid black cat, its face almost oriental. For such a large cat it had a very small meow. It purred and nuzzled his face then sat back and stared directly into his eyes. Hans stared back; he'd never seen royal blue eyes on a cat before. He tickled it under its chin, being rewarded with another nuzzle and a gentle purr. Jorgen looked at it.

"Kill it, it's just a cat, probably full of fleas"

"No!"

Jorgen reached out to crab the cat by the scruff of the neck. It turned to look at him. He could feel its eyes boring into him, reading his soul. As he grabbed the cat hissed, arched its back and clawed and bit until Hans released it with a yell.

Jorgen laughed harshly, "I told you it was a fleabag. Come on we need to keep searching before Karl comes down here" Sucking at his wounds Hans followed. The cat was nowhere to be seen. They wound their way round more crates,

They came across a large long crate, the Verfolger was now pulsing orange and emitting a high beep. Quickly Jorgen crow bared the lid off. Hidden under a layer of straw lay an intricately wrapped mummy. The eye of Ubastis was just visible under the wrapping. Covering the wrapping was small drawings of cats. Cats sat under chairs, beside cornfields, Cats with bows, Cats with swords. A beautiful smell emanated from the mummy, a mix of rich Myrrh and Jasmine. Jorgen pulled at the mummy trying to move it, and see if the staff was hidden under there. "Hold this back" he grunted at Hans expecting him to hold the mummy. Hans just stared sucking the wounds the cat gave him. "Hans!" Jorgen barked again.

He then looked down, the mummy was breathing"

* * *

**Believe it or not the torture described above was actually done throughout the centuries and through the Second World War. Yes there's some sick people out there!.**

**Please review I need some inspiration/Encouragement.**

**Amazon **

**x**


	7. Chapter 7

**Usual Disclaimers apply, but sure wish they didn't and they were mine! **

**Please let me know what you think. **

* * *

Chap 07

Jack sat quietly in thought, remembering his friend.

Ianto leaned forward to Karl, "Ok where are the others? Do you really think that we'd let you off this ship with the staff or the weapon?"

Karl smiled, "You have no choice in the matter. You forget I have my own weapon, I can sink this ship easily."

"Point taken, but do you know when we are? This ship is the key, without it you'll not get back to your own time"

"Assuming we have moved to your time, you may have moved to ours"

"Can you be sure? Would you really be the cause of over 2000 people, - women and children, and men who have no clue about you, or the war?"

"I've sunk many ships, my conscience died with my first killing" Karl lied blatantly; He couldn't sleep for more than a couple of hours. The noise of the dying was constantly on the edge of his hearing.

"Then, you were at war, this could be 1912, you are not at war now, you and your men could start a new life. Away from killing, you could be who you want to be."

Ianto's words struck a chord with Karl. Did he really want to carry on with the war, being a hound dog for Hitler's latest obsessions? The news Jack had just given him shocked him. Did he really want to be around people who killed simply because they could get away with murdering someone who didn't belong? His mind buzzed with thoughts for his father, his mother, the missed opportunities and Jacks admission. But mostly Jacks admission to causing his fathers death.

Karl stood and nodded a goodbye to both Ianto and Jack before walking away to find his special officers.

Jack looked up at Ianto, "You know this is a really peaceful place. We could do with something like this in the hub."

"Jack, its men only in here"

Jack smiled "Exactly, we'd be safely away from interruptions, and yelling. And with no one to disturb us"

"You mean Gwen"

"No one to disturb us we could do what ever we pleased."

"You do don't you. You mean Gwen."

Jacks eyes sparkled "Come on Jack, when has she ever taken notice of no entry signs, unless we lock her in a cupboard or …" he trailed off

"You know that idea has its merits. We could do what we wanted, when we wanted."

Ianto leaned forward and whispered in Jacks ear. "We tend to anyway, and in a place like this, where would you put the cuffs?" The soft accent made Jack shiver in anticipation, Ianto's warm breath down his neck made Goosebumps appear… Despite all Jacks flirting and suggestiveness it was usually Ianto who made the first move, came up with all the games, and usually ended up leaving Jack feeling battered and bruised. He'd take him to the edge, teasing, and often leaving him restrained to the ironwork in the hub before he could get the safe word out. They would then finish and sated collapse in a heap; eventually crawl back to Jacks office and rest. That would be a quiet night in.

_-x-x-x-x_

Gwen, Molly and Cornelia were making their way to the smoking room.

"What I don't understand is this rift thing. What is it?" Molly confessed

"Its like a doorway, things can go through it in either direction, but when things come through to here, they could have come from anywhere, or any when in the universe. That's why Torchwood was set up, to protect the earth from these things," Gwen explained. "There are several rifts around the world. Most are dormant. The one in Cardiff is the most active now, there used to be two in America, one in Tibet, Ayres rock in Australia is one, and I think the Bermuda Triangle is one. Hence you have the Yeti, Bigfoot, Dreamtime, Chupacabra. They all came through the rifts and have been unable to return"

"What about the Loch Ness monster? Did that come through a rift?" asked Molly

Gwen laughed "No that's just a very old dinosaur"

Molly looked startled at the revelation.

Their conversation had led them to the door of the smoking room. A Steward stopped them. "I'm sorry ladies this is the Gentlemen's room"

Molly grinned at him and entered regardless. "I'm looking for Captain Harkness, the sooner I find him the sooner I'll leave" she told the steward. The three of them walked into the smoking room; the steward flapped around them trying to turn them away without being rude or disturbing too many guests.

The commotion from the steward and the hurmpfs from the gentlemen slowly came to Jack and Ianto's ears. They looked at each other

"Gwen?" Jack guessed

"Who else could it be" replied Ianto.

They were surprised to find it wasn't Gwen but a rather imposing woman followed by Gwen and Cornelia. She stopped in front of Jack. She looked him up and down, appraising him, mentally undressing him. He half expected her to check his teeth to see if he was fit for sale (again!)

He waved away the stewards apologies and smiled at Molly.

"I saw you deal with those Germans and that…" she searched for the unfamiliar word, "…Submarine? Personally I would have sent them packing, they don't belong on here. You, Captain are far too soft, you need a little backbone. I'm told that something strange is going on here. I will help" Molly's full force personality took Jack back for a moment. Gwen smiled under her hand, it wasn't often he was flustered by a woman.

"Thank you Miss?"

"Mrs Margaret Brown" Jack reached forward and kissed the back of her hand, relying on the old fall back of charm.

"It won't work, Margaret Brown is a force to be reckoned with" Ianto leaned into Jack, "She's the unsinkable one"

"I'm also here and have very good hearing Mr?"

"Sorry, Jones"

"Really? That is an unusual name I've never met someone called Sorry Jones before"

Cornelia couldn't help herself and burst out laughing. Jack caught the twinkle in Molly's eye. Scowling Ianto collected two more chairs and brought them to their little corner. The steward brought tea for the ladies and two whiskeys for Jack and Ianto. Immediately Molly stole one of the whiskeys and downed it in one. "Oh I like this lady, Gwen, where did you find her?"

"I found them to be exact Captain, Gwen has explained what she thinks is going on., I want to join, and I want to assist with the new set up."

"If you did you wouldn't be working for the government of either country. We work for a higher power"

"I can deal with that. What is this thing you're looking for?"

Jack sat back and thought. "It's flat, about the size of a credit card"

Molly looked puzzled, so Ianto took out his wallet and passed her one of his cards. She turned it over in her hand. "What is this?"

"A credit card, its like money, but usually encourages you to spend more than you actually have" explained Ianto.

Jack nodded his thanks

"It's about the thickness of a CD case"

Ianto sighed, "It's about the width of your little finger"

"Its holographic black"

"Look can't you just explain it in simple Pre 1920's terms?" fussed Gwen

"It's black, but with the light on it, it looks a different shade of black depending on which way you look at it."

"Hold on, black is black, you cannot have different shades of black" Molly retorted.

"Sure you can, A raven's wing is black, there's black cats, pitch black, coal black. They are all black, but subtle shades of black"

"The priority right now though, is that we need to stop those German officers. If they get hold of the accelerator or Christ's staff then you may as well kiss the future goodbye." Jack repeated the legend again for the benefit of the ladies, but this time omitted his part in finding the crown and the death of his friend.

"Right; we'll look in the hold, you take the higher levels" Gwen told them. Jack looked concerned

"Ladies I'd tell you to be careful, but do what you need to do, just don't sink the ship"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 08: Cat's eye view

She walked alongside the crates, searching, her senses and whiskers vibrated with the air of wrongness, her soft paws made no sound on the cold floor. She needed to be higher, so she could see and wait. With one leap she managed to jump up the 6ft tall wall of crates and sat, her tail wrapped its self around her paws. Her patience was unending, she already had been around for thousands of years, waiting, a few more hours wouldn't hurt. An ear twitched, as the sound of footsteps came towards her. Two heavy sets of footsteps were closer than the lighter ones at the other side of the room filled with crates.

Delicately she stood and stretched every inch of her body, gave a quick wash of her paw, and jumped down. Perhaps _**he**_ was back. She could smell a musky smell, unwashed body. She crinkled her nose, it wasn't him, _**he**_ smelt nice, a blend of leather, anis, bergamot and lemon, with a slight undertone of Event Horizons *. She remembered a journey on another ship, with _**him**_ and the other strange people. They were mostly female and smelt of ozone, and marine smells, but they were nice, they fed and petted her. Tickled her chin and gave her the adoration she rightly deserved. But _**he**_ was so much more.

_**He**_ had no fear of death, just of the sea itself. Unsurprising really, she didn't like being wet either, but this fear went deeper. She knew he'd fallen overboard as a little boat had been pushing their big ship around so it could leave harbour. The little boat had sailed over him unconcerned. By the time they had managed to pull him out of the sea his mangled body was almost unrecognisable. Deep cuts into his body exposed organs, broken bones poked out of other parts of him. One side of his face had been sheared off, revealing only his skull below. The women had wept over him, but the strange little man with the spiky hair and brown suit, came out of his blue box and took control. Together the leader of the women and the blue box man had laid him out on a table, removed his torn clothing and covered him as though he was asleep.

She decided to watch him, She was well aware that when a human died, the heart would be weighed, if it was lighter than a feather he would pass into the afterlife **. She had waited in the Halls of Maat beside Ammut, but he had not turned up. So she returned back to the ship and waited beside him.

He'd dried out before something happened, with a huge gasp he'd drawn breath before coughing out sea water. He eventually stood; the blankets and sheet fell to the floor, leaving him as naked as the day he was born. She ran a critical eye slowly over his body. She could feel his pull, if she hadn't been in her current form she would have taught him a thing or three, but by the twinkle in his eyes she wondered.

She tried giving him the usual cat insult of washing herself trying to prove that he was not interesting enough, but she couldn't help herself and wandered to him as he lent on the table, and butted him with her head whilst purring all the time. He looked down at her, and she looked up into those beautiful eyes. Again she felt the pull of lust, but calmed herself. She wanted to read his soul. She looked further and further. Well hidden behind swaggering sexuality, she found it, and for the first time in over seven millennia, something winked back at her.

The journey had taken a long time, so she'd amused herself by chasing the rats in the hold, tripping up the blue box man and his companion, but even these lost their element of fun. Nothing happened until the volunteers had been talked into doing something so totally alien to this world. _**He**_ was the last one to agree, well, he hadn't agreed it had been forced on him or should she say into him.

Then a young male had been brought to her attention. He'd been brought into the room unconscious and tied to a chair. He smelt nice too. But she was confused about that as not only did he have his own smell, but also _**his**_ smell was all over the young male, and when she looked into his soul she saw it was old, so very old. Older than the first lotus flower on this planet. Despite the smells being interwoven _**he**_ didn't know this old soul in a young mans body

Mentally shaking herself she decided that to find out more about heavy feet was to meet them and use the old big eyes, and fuss me trick.

She let the first male pass. He smelt wrong; she could tell he wore his hatred on the outside like a heavy coat. The second man wore his nerves, but she could get through those. She wrapped herself round his legs, causing him to yell out. She kept pushing her head against him each time he moved until he bent down to pick her up. Gratefully she purred and nuzzled his face. Sitting back she looked at him, she looked deep into his soul. It was a simple trick that she had taught many cats down the years. However, as a goddess, she could see more than his soul and she did not like it one bit. He tickled her under the chin she nuzzled him again, he would need to be dealt with. With the sixth sense all cats have she turned as the other man reached out to her, to grab her by the scruff of the neck. She looked into his eyes and down into his soul. It was a hardened kernel. There was nothing in there, which could relate this man to humanity. He would kill for money, fear, hate or to ease the boredom. It frightened her. In her fear she arched her back and hissed, scratching and biting the man who held her. She felt the fall as he dropped her, but as always landed on her feet. She hissed again before darting away behind a crate.

She calmed herself with a short nap whilst still sitting upright, her tail again covering her front paws. Instantly her eyes opened, those men had found her priestess. Concentrating she split her will, allowing part to go to Hera the priestess. Her breath would become Hera's breath and protect that which needed protecting. The other part of her will stayed with her. She could really do with _**him**_ here to help again. She sniffed the air. Three females were coming this way. Two of which had his smell on, albeit faintly. Making a decision she padded towards the females. Climbing delicately onto the crates she was at head height with them all, and managed to sniff each one as they passed. Ah yes that one with the dark hair, she had the sense more than the other two. The blond one smelt of fizzing amansia. She must have travelled time. Time always left his sent on time travellers as he guided them. She meowed loudly at the dark haired one, who looked up at her smiled and stroked her gently. "Hello puss, I wonder what's your name?"

"Name?" thought the cat "I have many names although Bast will do" Using a cat's initiative she batted the hand gently and rolled over allowing the dark haired woman to rub her belly.

"Can't abide cats, they wash in their own spit you know" said one of the women

"That's probably because they haven't yet figured out how to turn the tap on or to use a face cloth" replied the blond one. "Give them time and they'll take over the world" she continued

"We already have, who else would feed us because we make a nice noise?" Bast thought to herself whist the dark haired one fussed her. She sat and stared at the dark haired woman looking into her soul and her future. She was just like a cat, insistent, bloody minded, usually on the wrong side of a door, needy, yet independent depending on her mood. She could give herself over completely or just be there for the hell of it. Bast made her mind up. This one would help Hera protect the staff _he_ had asked them too. Carefully she stepped on to the shoulders of the dark haired one and breathed into her ear. The woman laughed as the breath tickled her and Bast's essence enveloped her conscience.

-x-x-

Gwen laughed as the cat breathed in her ear, her breath and whiskers tickling. Cornelia warily looked at her.

Gwen turned to both Cornelia and Molly. "They've found Hera, we need to protect her" turning away she stalked round a box. Molly held Cornelia back from following Gwen, "Is she ok? Only she had brown eyes a moment ago and now they're blue."

"I really don't know, but I'm guessing that cat had something to do with it" replied Cornelia, "Come on we need to follow her and if needs be stop her from hurting herself"

They both followed her round the box, watching from a slight distance, Every now and then Gwen would stop and sniff the air, then listen. Her movements became graceful, and feline; each step was measured, thought out. Cornelia figured it out, She was stalking her prey as long as she didn't do the wiggle before jumping out on whatever it was she was stalking molly and Cornelia would be safe. If she wiggled before jumping out, then she was on her own as Cornelia knew she would not be able to stop laughing long enough to help her out.

Molly stood besides her, holding something. "What?" She asked "It's a security broom, I can hit anything with it- including Gwen if needs be".

They stopped suddenly; between a crack in a pile of crates they could see the two German officers manhandling something. Suddenly both men stepped back in shock. They could only see one's face, terror was imprinted on it. Slowly a bandaged hand came out of the box. The men stepped backwards, and watched as a wrapped mummy slowly stood. Before Molly and Cornelia knew what was happening they saw Gwen move out towards the mummy. The mummy must have sensed a third person as it turned towards Gwen. Raised its hands to its face and pulled the wrappings away.

Despite all expectations the mummy was not a dried, blackened body, but a pale naked beauty. The muscles in her long legs were toned to perfection. Tattoos, starting from her buttocks went the whole length of her legs and curled round the shinbones. The whirls and patterns of leaping cats and glyphs appeared to change as she moved. On her back was a full tattoo of the goddess Bast, holding in one hand a bow in the other the sacred rattle. Blue eyes looked out of a pale full round face framed by black hair, which had been pulled back into a side knot as was the custom of the priesthood. Heavy black kohl surrounded her eyes, full red lips drew back to show perfect teeth. Her incisors were longer than usual. She hissed. Gwen hissed back and the mummy shook off the rest of the wrappings and stepped out of the box. She stretched out her arms in front showing powerful muscles. Her hands clenched and unclenched her nails elongated and retracted. In the small corner of Gwen's mind that was not hidden under Bast's will Gwen was jealous

Cornelia sighed. "It looks like we won't be needed for this fight so you can put your broom down" she told Molly. "That's a priestess of Bast. They were trained to fight."

"But she's naked!" stuttered Molly.

"So? That'll put off those men- I hope. Pharaohs used to go to war with these women by his side. As Bast was the goddess of war, they tended to win. With the passing of time however and the steady weakening of Egypt, her power diminished and she ended up being a goddess of perfumes and fertility. Rameses came along and Sekhmet took over the warrior side."

Hans looked up at Gwen and the mummy, both smiled a condescending smile. Suddenly Hans knew how a mouse felt. The women then turned to look at Jorgen, Hans felt a small spark of hope. Hera leapt towards Jorgen whilst Gwen carried on staring at Hans.

Hans lifted his gun level to Gwen, fully intent on shooting her. She simply smiled. It was a cold smile, which made Hans feel queasy. As he looked at her he could see two faces one overlying the other, like it had been superimposed. Gwen's face was the main one, but the overlying face had a haughty feline look.

"Oomph!" whilst he had been looking at her, he had failed to notice her knee raise and be planted squarely in his balls. He folded in agony, and heard her say "should have been watching all of me" as she battered away the gun.

He straightened up. He wasn't going to play nice, he no longer cared that she was a woman. No one did that and got away with it. He lashed out, but Gwen twisted away, slapping his face in the process. He then lunged towards her and managed to knock her over. Somehow she managed to move so that she fell on top of him. The air was knocked out of both of them. Together they lay there. He caught a glimpse of her eyes. He wanted to kiss her. To take her by force, he pulled at her skirt removing it so she was down to her underwear and …

…she knew the hold she had over him, and let him have a small part of his wish, after all he was not that unattractive and it suited her to bend him to her way of thinking. She let him pull the skirt away. It was too cumbersome anyway. Gwen was eventually down to her underwear. The free part of Gwen's mind however was mentally screaming for them to stop. Bast eventually became aware of Gwen's mind yelling to stop. For once she listened, this man didn't seam to have much of an imagination towards sex, so she stood, and with hidden strength grabbed him by the hands and pulled him upright.

Frustrated by the tease, he kicked out. He knew that his foot should have connected, but she was quick. As he kicked she jumped and kicked at him instead.

He stepped back, and went to place a punch. Each punch he threw was easily battered away, each kick didn't connect. Yet everything she did landed in place, his ribs had cracked, his face hurt, he could partially see from one eye. He'd banged his head against something as he'd rushed and missed her. Looking round he couldn't see her, he wondered where she had gone. He slumped against a crate, peering in to the shadows watching out for her, catching his breath, wondering where the hell Jorgen was. Was he ok? He'd not heard anything, any gunshots, or screams. He dabbed at his cheek as a trickle of blood ran down from his head.

Bast was now bored. She'd taken over the dark haired woman's body to do the rough stuff, but was now idly rifling through her mind, picking out memories and hidden thoughts. She could hear the weak protests but ignored them this time. The host had stopped her having fun earlier she would be dammed if she would listen this time..

Ah there were references to _**him**_ in there. This woman had some feelings for _**him**_, but deeper feelings for another man. Fear of dying and leaving things unsaid rose to the front. Images flickered through the mind. Many images of strange creatures, then she stopped. An image of _**him**_**. **_**He** _had a name. Jack. She tasted the name. It suited him.

According to this woman _**Jack** _had died many times but come back to life. Bast pieced it together, so that was why she had never met him in the halls of Maat. Another image flicked up, one of Jack and the young man she had met tied to a chair. They were naked, surrounded by plants. Interested she felt the woman's embarrassment. She delved a little further. Fear bubbled to the surface, a fear of dying young, a fear of being on her own, a fear of being childless. A fear of not remembering.

**

* * *

  
**

** the Halls of Maat was where the Ancient Egyptians believed your heart would be weighed before passing either into the afterlife or it would be devoured by Ammut. To pass into the afterlife then your heart must weigh less than a feather, but if you had been bad then your heart would weigh more and it'd be dinner for Ammut, and you'd wander for eternity with no soul.

"**We already have, who else would feed us because we make a nice noise?" Thanks to Terry Pratchett's Unadulterated Cat. Read it, its all true!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

How could humans stand it? For most of their existence they were frightened at some level of living, dying and being nothing after. Maybe that was why they had invented so many gods, so many stories…

She remembered that she was supposed to be dealing with the human that was hiding from her. She sniffed the air and picked up his scent. Quietly she moved behind a series of crates. She'd found him. He was trying not breath loudly. Now was the time to end it. She'd had fun playing with him. She reached out and grabbed him by the neck.

Hans was not light, but she lifted him easily and threw him against the crates that Molly and Cornelia happened to be hiding behind. He landed painfully with a thump.

Cornelia placed a hand on Molly's arm. "Don't do a thing" she warned.

"But..."

"No this has to be, you cannot change the fate of one individual without changing the fate of many"

Molly looked at Cornelia incredulously. "That is such claptrap! Life is special. ALL life is special. Where did you hear such rubbish?"

"Sometimes we have no choice, there are fixed points in time, things that have to happen. Some people have to be saved, some have to die. There is never a choice."

"There is always a choice"

"Is there? This Accelerator we are looking for, if we find it what are you going to do with it?"

"Destroy it. It will kill millions"

"What if I told you that this weapon we are looking for isn't an item but a person?"

"Ah… Is it him?"

"I don't know. He may just be the one to find it, and use it."

"Molly I need you to trust me. The thing that has Gwen knows what it's doing. Please leave them. I've seen more things you can imagine and this has to happen for other things to happen. You don't need to believe me just trust me."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Hera leapt towards Jorgen whilst Gwen carried on staring at Hans. Instinctively Jorgen had plunged forwards, shortening the leap. He battered into her knocking her to the floor and winding her, together they rolled, finally coming to rest with him on top of her. He smiled a wicked smile. "Well woman, this is more like it" He brought his face closer to hers, his hands pinning down hers " Want some Jorgen?"

She shook her head.

""Tough, you're going to get some" it slowly permeated his brain that this woman wasn't struggling or scared like the others had been, she was just laying there breathing, smiling. He pulled back away from her face. It was only then he realised she had wrapped her legs around him. This was not exactly what he had in mind, but he found himself enjoying the feeling of her strong legs wrapped round his waist, her pubic bone pushed into him. She straightened her legs, into the air. Suddenly he found it difficult to breath. She was squeezing him tight. This wasn't becoming fun.

He released a hand and punched her in the face, and managed to wriggle free. Slowly she stood, rubbing her face. "Want to play rough mousy?" she purred. Jorgen turned and ran into the maze of crates.

This was wrong; Jorgen didn't like being the one not in control. He was supposed to be the hunter not the hunted. Looking back he could see the woman jogging gently towards him. Being barefoot and naked, didn't slow her down, it was slowing him down. It was all he could do to tear away his eyes from that perfect form, those perfect breasts bouncing in time to the pounding of her feet.

He fumbled for his gun, if she was going to play dirty, so was he, well he was going to anyway, regardless. Ducking behind a pile of baggage he thought he'd managed to loose her. He could hear the fight going off between Hans and the other woman. He'd have to go and rescue that useless lump once he'd managed to sort himself out.

He felt a breath in his ear. "Looking for someone?" The harmonics in the voice went straight down his spine and into some hidden area that dealt with fear. It washed over him in a great wave.

He felt an arm snake under his chin and press against his neck. A hand pulled back his hair forcing his head back. He gazed into royal blue eyes.

"You will never have it. The good man's stick is not yours to use." She purred.

"Its here?" he gasped fighting for breath

"Not for you"

He jabbed his elbow behind him and in the same moment grabbed the arms and managed to throw the attacker over his head and into a pile of baggage opposite.

She lay on the floor dazed. He stepped closer and kicked out at her head. Except her head was no longer there, somehow she'd moved with amazing speed. He yelled in agony. Pain shot up from his ankle. She'd grabbed his leg and foot, and twisted them in opposite directions breaking his ankle completely. He was pushed backwards, a fury of claws at his face. One raked the side of his face and went through his eye. His head was held as it bounced continually off the floor.

"Play dead" he thought to himself. He made an effort to block out pain and make himself as a dead weight.. He felt her foot nudge his ribs. He lay there for what seemed an eternity before he realised she'd gone. He dragged himself up and tested his weight on his foot. Pain blossomed, but he made no sound. "Take the pain and box it away" he told himself. With deep concentration he managed this, enabling him to hobble towards where Hans and the woman was fighting. He stood just outside the women's notice, raised his gun towards Gwen's head and fired.

-x-x-x

"Molly I need you to trust me. The thing that has Gwen knows what it's doing. Please leave them to it. I've seen more things you can imagine and this has to happen for other things to happen. You don't need to believe me just trust me."

Cornelia begged Molly. She'd seen a version of the earth when the Germans had won the war, how Hitler, using the Crown, Spear and staff of Christ, had allied them to the Metatron, believing him to be the Angel who sat at God's right hand.

Not even her father had been able to help. It took the combined talent of him, the Master, the Europa survivors and the whole of Torchwood to work together to bring knowledge and power to the final unknown Child of Time. But it was the unimaginable death of his lover that had made him speak the word, and cleanse the world. It was a word that should never have been said in anger, or grief. That child had withdrawn into himself and tried to use Time Lord's trick, hiding his memories and soul in the pocket watch they all carried. But in that world fate had other ideas. Instead he was left a shell, a never ageing shell. He'd gone insane. She prayed to whatever god would listen that it wouldn't happen in this.

Those two Germans had to be stopped and the Staff had to be destroyed.

If Bast or Gwen wouldn't kill them, then she would. She liked Jack to much to have him die that way.

Molly nodded her agreement, she'd trusted all of them so far, her instincts always were right and they were not ringing those warning bells. She smiled at Cornelia who smiled weakly back, a small tear in the corner of her eyes. Embarrassed Molly looked away and noticed the gun lying just out of reach through the gap in the crates.

Poking the broom handle through the gap in the crates Molly managed to manoeuvre the gun towards them both so she could pick it up. She weighed it in her hand and looked at Cornelia, "Well you never know if it will come in useful" She flinched as they heard a yell and a thump, Molly looked through the crack.

"I think the Gwen thing just threw one of those men against a crate!"

"Yes. She will play with him a little while before killing him off"

"But that's inhumane!"

"It's what cats do; you can't change the nature of a cat"

Hans lay face down, his breathing as ragged as his clothes, nails or claws, he wasn't sure which, had raked across his skin. He tried raising himself only to find a foot on his back pinning him down. Gwen/Bast stood over him, one foot on his back, not a hair out of place, and perfectly composed.

x-x-x-x-x-x

From the edge of the fight, the bang of a gunshot rang through the air. Molly and Cornelia peered thought the crack; Hera stood still, her hand in front of Gwen's face as though she had just caught something. She opened her hand and a bullet fell from it. Jorgen lowered the Lugar, looked at both Gwen and Hera and ran. Gwen/Bast looked up at Hera;

"He's mine now, finish the mouse" she hissed and ran after him.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Molly watched as Hera straddled the prone Hans, she sat on his back stroking his hair.

"So soft" the woman whispered.

"You cannot take it, the child must not scream. Ammut is waiting for you, May the gods have mercy"

She lifted his head and with a crack snapped his neck, then quietly sat beside him, waiting. Molly turned away sickened.

Eventually Cornelia and Molly decided that it was finally safe for them to go round to the woman. As they did, Gwen/Bast returned.

"He's no fun" she pouted, "He just ran away and I got bored chasing him. I might let this host have fun with him later. Is it still there?"

She spoke to Hera whilst inclining her head towards the crate. Hera nodded, then placed her hands together in prayer and bowed to her.

Gwen/Bast noticed the body as if for the first time, prodded it with her foot

"Being dead, is better off for him"

Then she noticed Gwen and Molly stood in front of the crates. She looked pointedly towards Cornelia.

"Your grandchild shouldn't scream the word now." was all she said.

"I cannot have children" Cornelia replied sadly.

At this Gwen raised an eyebrow and smiled knowingly, "He is here, on this ship already. Perhaps he is a traveller, like you and your father, there are more out there. You two are not the only ones who survive wars"

Gwen strode over to the box and rummaged in the straw the mummy had been laying on. She took out an old length of gnarled wood.

"Christ's staff" she huffed.

"You know he was too young to need a staff, he was only 32. Thought it gave him authority, a sense of being wise. He didn't need it."

Gwen/Bast smiled at the memories, as she twirled it around absent minded. Before placing it over her raised knee and snapping it in two.

"Mistress, why did you break the good man's staff?"

The woman's voice was a soft as a purr.

"The power it contained did not belong to this time. _He_ found it and should have destroyed it then instead of using it. Belief and time have given it even more power; it should have been dispensed with aeons ago. _He_ was foolish. By breaking it the power has now gone. Something this pure will always have trouble following close behind."

"So I am no longer needed?"

"No Hera. As my priestess you were chosen to guard, your task has not changed, only the object has changed" She leant closer in and carried on whispering.

"The younger man with _Him_ is the Key, he must be protected. He must never need to speak those words"

She threw the remains of the staff back into the box, and picked up the wrappings from the mummy. Hera stood still beside the sarcophagus. Gwen started to re-wrap her. With each circle she chanted the sacred words, which would enable the priestess to live again in the after life until her new charge needed her. Carefully she wound round the woman till she came to her face.

She looked into the woman's eyes.

"Thank you _He'll_ be grateful, sleep now"

The woman lowered her face to Gwen and kissed her forehead, before stepping back into the box and lying down.

Gwen knelt beside the box, finishing off the wrapping. Suddenly the black cat appeared again from somewhere and in the manner of all cats batted Gwen/Bast until an unconscious hand came down to stroke it. Molly watched closely as a small spark jumped from the cat to Gwen. Gwen scooped up the cat and lifted it to her face and nuzzled it, it was difficult to tell where the cat's purr ended and the noise Gwen was making began.

Gwen then softly blew on the cats face. As she did so, the struggling cat finally became free from Gwen's arms. Gwen looked woozily at Molly and Cornelia before her eyes rolled back and she fell sideways in a faint, bouncing her head off the floor. The cat jumped into the box and settled on the mummy's feet.

Cornelia and Molly rushed to Gwen's side. Molly looked in the box at the mummy. She was adamant that the cat had got in the box, but all she could see was the mummy; whereas down on her feet the wrappings had a picture of a cat curled up sleeping peacefully, but with one eye open to watch the world, as most cats usually do.

Molly and Cornelia lifted the discarded lid of the sarcophagus and returned it to its place. The lid of the crate was nailed on.

"So. Do you know who they were talking about? You could almost hear the Italics every time she spoke about that person."

"I have no idea" Lied Cornelia.

"Is this sort of thing normal in your experience?"

"Not really. It's not every day I meet a real Goddess."

"So what you and Gwen said earlier wasn't just a lot of tall stories to pique my interest in helping you?"

"Nope. Today was good day, someone else died instead of my friends… Look Molly there's a lot more out there, so many wonderful, different, things out there amongst the stars. However, there is also a lot of horrible, nasty ways of dying at the hands, claws, or mandibles of all the not so wonderful things out there. Sometimes Torchwood gets lucky and the wonderful stuff comes through, some times it's the ones that want to kill, main or harvest every living thing on this planet. Torchwood and other similar organisations are the only defence. Do you still want to be a part of it?"

Before Molly could answer they heard a groan. Both looked over to Gwen, who was slowly coming round from the faint, holding her head with both hands.

"What in the world happened? Why is there a dead Nazi there? Why am I half naked? And why do I feel the need to lick my hand clean?" she asked

Molly helped Gwen up and opened her mouth to speak. Silently Cornelia shook her head before taking Gwen by the arm "Come on, I'll explain on the way to the boys." She knew that some of it Gwen would find difficult to believe. But that was part of her work.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Together, Gwen, Molly and Cornelia Made their way back up the ship. Gwen had managed to look a little presentable.

Cornelia had explained as best as she could

"I can't have done that!" Gwen gasped at regular intervals.

They turned a corner, and Gwen stopped suddenly. Her eyes widened as she looked down the barrel of a Luger.

"Hello pretty one" the heavily accented voice betrayed no emotion. Gwen figured it was Jorgen

"I know you're part of the captains team, where is it? Where's that other woman?"

"I don't know what you are talking about"

He stood closer. She could see small beads of sweat running down his nose. The smell of weeks stuck being on a submarine assailed her noise. All she could smell at this time was oil and sweat.

"I'm not stupid my dear. I'm well aware of Torchwood. You're not a secret, as you like to think. Herr Hitler has always known about you. Your mistake was letting Mrs Simpson know. Once she knew, the Americans knew – why do you think your King really abdicated?"

"You know, I really have no clue as to what you are on about"

Over his shoulder Gwen could see Jack and Ianto creeping up behind him. She tried to show no recognition on her face; however Jorgen must have seen their reflection in her eyes. He turned and fired off a shot. In almost cartoon slowness the bullet went straight into Jacks shoulder, the impact drove him against the wall and he slid to the floor.

Cornelia and Gwen both yelled and together went for the German. Cornelia being quicker, managed to get the first blow in. She knocked him to the floor. Gwen clumsily stumbled over him; he managed to catch her foot and sent her sprawling in the Jack. She landed head first between Jacks legs.

"And I thought you'd gone off me" He spoke through gritted teeth, as the pain blossomed down his arm and across his shoulder.

As she stood she smiled. "Go boil your head Jack!"

She was torn between staying with Jack and Ianto, helping to staunch the blood flow. It was obvious the bone had shattered, or following Cornelia. "We can deal with it here" insisted Ianto. Gwen shot off to chase Cornelia and Jorgen.

"Captain? Are you ok?" Molly hovered concerned

"At least he missed your head," mumbled Ianto "Shoulders I can deal with" He leant Jack forward, who yelped in pain "It's still in there. We need to get the bullet out"

Molly repeated herself "Jack are you ok"

"Let's see, my shoulder is more or less knackered, as there's a bullet in there, I've blood down this nice shirt"

"Its not that nice" retorted Ianto. Jack raised an eyebrow

"…Nice …red…shirt… wow! that's a lot of blood… well to be truthful I've been a damn site better."

"Shit, it must have nicked an vain or something. You've also died from shoulder wounds" grumbled Ianto

"I do not appreciate you using profanity Captain. I think the lot of you are completely mad!"

Wincing Jack took Molly's hand "I apologise, totally and utterly. You couldn't even begin to believe how mad we can get"

"Molly please go and get a couple of bottles of whiskey and some tweezers, I need to get the bullet out."

"What about the ships doctor?"

"No!" Both Jack and Ianto insisted in unison.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Karl was angry, in fact he was more than angry. That short conversation with Harkness had revealed that for over 30 years he'd been lied to. He didn't belong anywhere. He was more different than anything anyone of them could imagine.

When he used to visit his mother in the sanatorium, she used to tell him the blood of kings ran though his veins. He'd laugh passing it off as another part of his mother's madness, she also used to say that cats would one day rule the world, be great healers. Or that people would fly to the moon and walk on other planets.

He was consumed with guilt, he'd insisted that she'd been put in the asylum; She'd died there lost in her own memories and assumed madness.

Telgar, that was his father's position, so his mother was then a princess and he would be a prince. Was he human? He never felt anything other than human, he knew he was different as some of his mother's friends would say, but that was (or so he thought) down to his personal ideology, and to his shame, his pleasures, of which he would always deny.

He remembered being small and wrestling with Eiderman, or riding round on the mans back whilst he pretended to be a horse. The little gifts Eiderman would bring back from his travels. Sometimes he would be around for a couple of weeks, sometimes only an hour or so before off again. When Eiderman stayed around for a couple of weeks his mother would hold parties every other night. Karl would be allowed to stay up a little longer than usual, but would often fall asleep on his fathers lap, during one of Eiderman's long winded stories. Slightly woken when his mother's tinkling laughter would fill the room.

He remembered his father's stories at bedtime, about gods and magic, about far off worlds, or close up perils. If Karl closed his eyes now he could still hear the deep timber of his fathers voice, the warm smell of his aftershave, and the embrace of his arms. When Eiderman persuaded his father to go with him to find the crown of Christ they promised they would be away 3 weeks at the most. His father had taken him to one side to remind him of his duty to his mother, and not to get too wrapped up in the testing of the new submarine. With an uncharacteristic embrace his father hugged him. Karl wondered if he knew then that he wouldn't be coming back.

Three months later, Eiderman returned, haggard and tired. Karl was distracted studying the blueprints of the new sub, learning about the new technology they'd installed. But he still heard his mothers cry when she was told that his father had died.

The anger boiled in his brain, then the clarity hit him. He wanted revenge, he wanted to cause as much hurt as had been received by his mother and him when his father had died. He wanted Eiderman to pay for his father's death. As slowly and as painfully as he had died. Eiderman must die. Harkness was Eiderman, Harkness was going to die.

-x-x-x-x-x

It was sheer luck that he'd been close by when Jorgen had shot Harkness. Two of the women had gone after him; the young man and another woman had stayed with him. A brief conversation ending with a loud "No!" sent the woman away. He followed Harkness and Jones, and felt the bitter disappointment as he realised that Harkness was loosing a lot of blood. Harkness was going to die and he had nothing to do with it. He raged silently. Well at least he could be there as he died. He watched Jones struggle with Harkness, half dragging him down the corridor to a room in First Class. Several times Harkness stumbled, he was getting weaker.

Suddenly Karl knew what to do. Jack stumbled again, so he rushed forward and helped Ianto carry him, Jack dangling between the two of them. Jack knew he was loosing blood fast, his head swam and his vision was blurring. He stumbled again, and felt another pair of hands helping him up. He heard Ianto Murmur his thanks. A blurred vision of Karl swam into view.

They met Molly at the door of the room. Once inside the three of them managed to manhandle Jack onto the bed. He wanted to sleep so much. Ianto slapped him across the face. "Stay awake, I can't take it out if you're asleep, you body automatically heals. Molly unbutton him we have to take the shirt off"

Captain Karl "I need you to hold him down, this will hurt" Karl obeyed.

Instead of unbuttoning the shirt, Molly simply ripped it open; the wound was an ugly red and black. Ianto poured half a bottle of whiskey over around and into it. Jack yelled as the alcohol got into the wound. Then Ianto ordered Jack to gulp the remaining bottle. At Molly's questioning look he explained. "I need to wash and sterilise it, and he's going to feel the pain so I'm numbing him" He then nodded at Karl, who stuffed a towel in Jacks mouth to bite on.

Jack woozily lay back on the pillow; a cross between a grimace of pain and his billion-watt smile flickered across his face. "Molly. Keep his attention please, Karl keep him still."

Molly and Karl forcibly held Jack against the bed as Ianto stuck his fingers in the hole and probed around. Molly calmly took it in her stride, even when a muffled Jack kept yelling as Ianto hit nerves. Ianto could feel pieces of shattered bone, and then his fingertips brushed the tip of the bullet. He picked up the tweezers that had been sat in a glass of whisky. He forced Jack to drink some more. The pain had intensified as Ianto rummaged around in the shoulder. Suddenly Ianto stabbed the tweezers around the bullet. Jack arched in pain, "You Git" he whispered, as Ianto pulled the bullet out.

"Don't you need to sow him up or something?" Molly asked.

"No he heals really fast"

"Neverth…. oh my!"

She stopped as she watched the bullet hole close, and the skin turn a healthy pink. Karl shocked sat down.

Ianto half smiled at them both, "I told you he was different"

Jack sat up rotating his shoulder and pushing gently where the wound had been with his fingers.

"S'mended." The alcohol had rapidly got into his system. He wasn't drunk but very tipsy. Karl sat and planned. He needed to get to Jack.

"I's Good as new, now I wonder where those ladies are?" Jack stood then sat back on the bed again,

"I think I'll give it 5 minutes first, still a little woozy from the alcohol" he admitted.

Molly stepped back. "I think I better go.. I need to think. I've had an idea about the thing" she didn't want to say weapon in front of the new man. Although Ianto and Jack seemed to know him, she didn't trust him, her instincts screamed at her. This man was an animal, oh all friendly on the outside but she felt would turn any chance he got. Rather like a dog – which after all was only a tame wolf, and where one wolf was there was usually more.

With a backwards glance at Jacks healed shoulder she left the room. Karl rapidly calculated his chances. If he could just… Yes that would work. He had in his pocket a 'filter'. This piece of alien tech would enable him to pass by anyone with out being seen.

Ianto had his back to Karl, trying to untangle himself from Jack, who was insisting that he lay beside him, whilst he rested. Pressing the filter he knew he was unseen. He stood behind Ianto and knocked him out.

Jack attempted to stand, looking around for the unseen assailant. Karl punched him in the face, knocking him backwards on to the bed, again and again Jack was punched, unable to see who was doing the punching he was unable to defend himself. Finaly Karl managed to knock him out.

Stunned with himself Karl sat on the edge of the bed. A silent argument raged in his head. Finally the original conclusion won. He just needed the time and the place to do it, and he had the ideal place in mind.

* * *

**A/N Things aren't going to well for Jack at the moment, but need your opinion on how bad to make it..**

**Oh.. please review too... getting a little down as no one is reviewing.. **

**Ta**

**x**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi, **

**Been a while - i know, but i'm back now! as always usual disclaimers, and as always Please leave a review (even a critical one so i know where i'm going wrong!)**

Chapter 11

Gwen has always thought that she was fit, hell she'd run either to or from enough alien things to merit the word fit, but Cornelia had left her standing. She'd chased after Jorgen scooting round corridors and down stairs. Gwen had dodged passengers and bounced of walls with small "Umpfs" each time. Eventually Gwen caught up with Cornelia, who was leaning casually against a bulk head wall.

Panting Gwen joined her.

"Bloody hell girl! You move fast! " She looked round, "Well where is he?"

Cornelia smiled and pointed down the corridor. "It's a dead end he can only come back this way." She noticed Gwen panting hard, "Are you ok?"

"How do you run in all these skirts?" Gwen tugged at the clothing she'd borrowed so she wouldn't stand out, but after running up and down the ship, she realised that that good idea had dissolved rapidly into a bad one... "You're not even out of breath!" she exclaimed.

"I like running, I tend to do a lot of it where ever I go" replied Cornelia

"You're not from here are you?" asked Gwen,

"Where's here? We're in the middle of the ocean." Cordelia was feeling pedantic. Gwen rolled her eyes,

"I mean from Earth – You're a time traveller aren't you? You're either from Jack's Agency or you're like that Doctor Friend of his"

At the mention of the Doctor, Cornelia looked intently at Gwen.

"You know the Doctor?" she asked

"Only on sight. I know he's something to do with Jack and Martha. They came to the hub a while ago, Just passing they said. Jack then disappeared with them for an hour or so then they toddled off again in that ridiculous police box. Do you know what I think?"

"MMM?" Cornelia was half listening.

"I think Jack had been waiting a long time for him, wanting an answer to why he can't die. I don't believe he was born that way, what do you think?"

Cornelia just shrugged; when it came to Jack she'd pieced together bits of information, hints and trails left by Jack's travels. She'd found out more when she'd been sent to kill him. Then when she'd got to know him, she realised that she couldn't kill him. She'd realised that under the swaggering confidence, the leers and the insatiable sexual appetite, all he wanted was to know why. Why him. There must be a reason for it. She changed the subject

"Do you think that the doctor go back to the Hub?"

"I hope so. He's very nice, cute too; I wouldn't kick him out of bed for… What the hell is that noise?"

Whilst Gwen had been speaking a soft insistent crackling and hissing noise could just about be heard on the edge of hearing. It was becoming louder and louder. The ship juddered and the noise stopped. Cautiously Gwen and Cornelia peered round the corner.

They saw Jorgen standing, staring in front of him down a long corridor, all shiny metal and red carpets, but dark and ominous. A slight smell of rotting cabbage was in the air.

Cornelia cursed under her breath. "That's all we need" she said "Bloody Ratalins"

Gwen looked at her, "What are Ratalins?"

"Scavengers, they trawl space for debris and sell it to the highest bidder. Some have started harvesting planets. They follow disaster trails and sell off anything that can be salvaged. They're not known for waiting for the disaster to happen, they often encourage it." She paused.

"Something is wrong here, they would have been out of that corridor, salvaged him, and half this ship before you could have fired off a couple of shots. Why are they waiting?"

She edged closer to Jorgen who stood still staring, listening. She peered into the gloom "Oh god, it's worse than Ratalins"

"Don't move" Cornelia called to Jorgen. He turned to face her and asked. "Why? They're beautiful, they've promised me Odin's fire. When I have that _I_ will rule, not Hitler. There will be no master race, just a race of Gods."

"Don't move," she repeated, "It's an illusion, and they're lying. Move and they'll kill you. Slowly"

With a look of hatred and regardless of her warning Jorgen stepped forward on to the carpet. As he did several winged creatures fell on him, biting every part of him. He tried flailing his arms around, trying to fend them off. His look of bliss soon turned to horror as each bite paralysed him a little more, he soon become still, unable to cry out or beg for mercy. Tears rolled out of fear filled eyes, as they dragged him further into the darkness.

An involuntary gasp from Gwen caused one of the creatures to turn and look at her. It left the others and started to jerkily walk towards them. It was vaguely human in shape although its limbs were long and spindly. As it stalked towards them, what Gwen had taken to be a cloak unfurled showing leathery wings. Its skin was a deathly grey. Its naked body showed off its ribs. It literally was a bag of bones, held together with skin. Its rib cage deformed to a point, its sternum armoured. Its long arms whilst deceptively spindly did have rather a lot of muscle. The face was mournful, big sad, almost puppy dog eyes looked out of a thin face. It hissed at her showing rows of sharp teeth. Gwen went cold with fear. It wasn't the scariest or the goriest thing she'd seen but this just freaked her out.

"It's a Banshee" called Cornelia

"Don't look at it or listen. If you listen to it then you're already dead."

It stalked towards them the clicks of its joints were audible each time it moved. It reached the edge of its corridor. It stretched out its arms to leap forward. A Gunshot startled Gwen out of her immobility. The thing fell back as the bullet tore at its wing. The noise attracted the others, who all turned to stare, slowly with joints cracking and blood dripping from their jaws; they stood and made their way over to the ladies.

"We need to stop them here. If they get a hold on this ship they'll either eat your emotions, or breed with you. Out of the two, having all emotions eaten would be preferable. Although the breeding part often ends with you being physically eaten, unless you beat their queen, and eat her." Yelled Cornelia over the sound of banshees wail

Gwen pulled a face. Then she looked at the gun Cornelia was holding. It wasn't a Luger, which Gwen had expected Jorgen to be carrying; after all he'd waved it in her face, but a Tcaid* laser."

"Where did you get that?" Gwen asked.

Cornelia pointed at Jorgen. "He dropped it" She lied; she fired another shot, which went straight through the closest Banshee's head. Within 10 seconds another 3 went down. Gwen was impressed; Jack could just about control a Tcaid laser. Apparently it was something to do with a 51st Century mind being able to link into the telepathic programming. Despite that, the things still kept coming. A howl could be heard from the back of the dark corridor. The Banhsee's stopped for a moment then doubled their attempts to get to Gwen and Cornelia, with arms outstretched they almost touched Gwen's face. The hissing crackling noise then became audible over the howls. The ship lurched again and the corridor vanished leaving no trace of Banshees or Jorgen.

Both women sank to the floor relieved. "I thought Banshees simply sat on top of the house and warned of Death coming?" Gwen held on to the mythology she knew

"Almost right. They do warn of death. Their wail is just a call to others, a simple 'Come and get it whilst its frightened!' call. In history humans recognised this call and managed to find a way to scare them off, the myth grew from there. These were not your usual Banshee's though, they looked enhanced, and they were eating him. Normal adult banshees feed on fear and emotions; they don't like the physical stage of eating. Come on we need to find the others" without a word she turned and walked back the way they both came….

* * *

*Telepathic Control and Instigate Damage


	12. Chapter 12

**Well, here's another offering and thank you to those who reviewed, especially ****Dr-who-fangirl -you did make sense honest! I tried to see Dreamtime as not only a start but a living thing. Something more real than we are.. **

**On to 12 (13 will be here soonx)**

**XX**

* * *

Chapter 12

Karl's head rang with conflicting voices as he dragged a bound and gagged Jack through the ship towards the engine rooms. Some would have said they were the voices of his conscience. Karl stood for a moment head slightly tilted listening to these voices, each one clamouring for his attention. Each shouting that what he was doing was wrong.

"Silence!" he roared aloud.

Passengers around him were startled as this roar, so powerful and full hate could be heard but no one could be seen. Karl clamped his hand over his mouth; he had not expected to end up shouting. Thankfully the filter had worked.

People continued to walk around him not noticing him or Jack. In the silence of Karl's head he was listening to every argument that his mind could bring forward to stop him loosing his humanity. He retaliated with memories.

He remembered the day he gained his first Captaincy – he was the first to captain the "secret submarines" straight out of the academy. His mother and father and also Herr Eiderman were there at the ceremony. His beautiful mother, stood wrapped against the chill of the spring evening. Pride emanated from every pore. His father would occasionally nod in his direction. The boredom was etched on his face. When Herr Eiderman, the man Karl know knew as Jack Harkness, arrived, his father was more animated, he laughed more and looked less at Karl. When the ceremony was finally over his father had come over, shook his hand and was towed away by Harkness to talk to some Admiral. The small worm of hate took another bite of his soul and won the argument between him and his conscience.

Karl stopped and kicked Jack viciously. With each kick he mumbled, "I hate you. I really do hate you" Each set of stairs they came to. Karl would drag Jack feet first so that Jacks head would bounce off each step. Each muffled yell, each struggle that Jack made only made Karl's attacks worse.

Finally in the bowels of the ship Karl came to a door. He released Jacks feet so he could stand and pushed him through the heavy door.

They both looked shocked. The mass of pipe work all came to one of 27 huge coal fed boilers. The noise was deafening. Piles of coal lay in front of each boiler. Each piece of coal was massive. Each piece must have weighed 10-15lbs easily. 15 men shovelled coal into two boilers each. Each boiler demanded more. The heat was oppressive. Coal dust sat everywhere. Lights dangled down on long chains, but these were mostly ineffective. The light came from each boilers opening. Red Glows hung round each boiler. Hell could not have been better designed.

Confident of the filter he pulled Jack by the arm. Each boiler they passed spewed out heat and light, by the time they had passed the 5th boiler both were covered in a grimy coal dusted sweat. Little scenarios played out in Karl's head. Should he push Jack in a boiler? Burry him under the coal? At the end of the boiler room he spied a network of steam pipes. With past experience he knew most steam areas had little "rooms" so the engineers could work, if he could find one of those. That would do.

Jack was more than a little frightened. He remembered that Karl's mother had been unstable mentally before the Telgar had died. The Telgar himself often bordered on the edge of sanity, but his race was like that. The desert they lived in did wonder's for the imagination and not in a nice way. Jack knew Karl had gone mad, his eyes were no longer haunted; they bore the clarity of revenge. He sought for ways to escape, to let the men feeding the boilers know there was something wrong here. He felt his head being pulled back as Karl grabbed his hair, dragging him though the maze of scalding pipe work. Several times he leant on a scalding pipe, bringing tears to his eyes. They came to a stop in a gap of pipe work that could comfortably hold two people working, side by side. Various valves poked out, begging to be turned to release the steam.

Karl turned off the filter. He might need it later. He slowly removed his uniform jacket and carefully hung it on a valve. He spun round and punched Jack squarely on the jaw. As Jacks hands were tied behind his back he couldn't steady himself and stepped back into a valve. The heat of the pipe scorched Jacks skin. Flinching away from it Jack ended up stepping into another punch, He managed to duck the next volley of punches by stepping back so Karl overreached himself. Still he knew he had to get out of here. He brought his head down and rammed Karl, bowling him over. Jack tried to make his way out if the pipe works.

"You're a bloody fool Harkness or Eiderman, who ever you really are. Do you realise that every time I did something great something wonderful, you were there stopping my father congratulating me, telling me he was proud of me. The last time I remember him being a father, and sitting reading me bedtime stories I was nine! , "Karl snarled

Jack felt himself being pulled back; He hadn't noticed that the tied binding his hands behind his back had a long rope dangling down. This is what Karl used to drag him back.

Jack managed to spit out the gag, which by now was bloodied from the constant drip of blood from inside Jacks mouth where a tooth had pierced the cheek.

"Your father was right, Human and Craggar shouldn't breed. You've inherited your mother madness, the Craggar part of you has amplified it." Jack spat blood as he spoke.

"I was hoping your mother had been unfaithful to get pregnant…"

He was going to go on further when Karl's fury hit him, constantly, punches rained down on Jack, forcing him to his knees. That once pretty face was no longer pretty; the barrage of violence had made it's mark. A huge gash had appeared below his left eye. His nose was broken, his lip split. Blood caked his hairline and dripped onto his shirt. Karl forced Jack's head back and brought his face closer.

"You. Are. Going. To. Die"

"Not gonna happen today." Was all Jack would reply.

"Your pretty little suited friend doesn't know where you are. I hit him hard enough to crack his skull, for all I know he's already dead." Karl taunted Jack. As he watched Jack's face crumple at the thought of an Injured or even dead Ianto a realisation hit him.

"He's more than just a friend to you isn't he? I'll be doing him a favour killing you. Saving him from you and your in considerations. But then maybe if Mr Jones isn't dead, I could help him on his way, either that or make him mine. A Rite of Conquest maybe."

Jack howled, "Leave him be!"

With that Karl kicked him, knocking Jack back into the pipes and banging his head off the floor knocking him out. Karl looked around, His hands hurt from the constant punching, and He needed something else, a shovel that would do. As Jack was out cold, he untied his hands and feet. Working methodically he managed to split the ropes so he had four long pieces. Each piece was tied to an arm or foot, and then the other end was tied to a pipe. Eventually Jack was pulled in to a star shape. He dangled from strong overhead pipes, the rope digging into his wrists. Karl re-gagged Jack so he couldn't cry out, and left him there whilst he reset the filter and went looking for a shovel.

Out side the pipe work he found what he was looking for, a discarded stokers shovel, short pieces of chain, and a small bone handled pocketknife. Grabbing all three he was making his way back to his little hidey-hole when a small thought wormed its way in. Jack healed fast, he'd watched as the bullet hole had sealed itself. He would have to keep Jack in constant agony to stop the healing process. He smiled to himself, and returned to the closest boiler; he placed most of the chain in the boiler waiting for it to heat up. He found a large cup and bucket of water, left on the side for the stokers to replenish their thirst. He took that with him. Manoeuvred the red hot chains out of the boiler, pockets the knife and loaded with his goodies made his way back to Jack.

Jack was awake and struggling to be free, but the binds held. Karl offered him water and helped him sip a little. Jack warily watched him. Karl sat in front of him and chose a foot, removed Jacks shoes and a sock and wrenched his ankle round so that he could reach the sole. Then with the pocket-knife he slowly scored deep cuts in to his feet. Again and again, Muffled cries came from Jack. Karl ignored him, and proceeded to take the other shoe and sock of and side the same to the other foot. Each cut becoming deeper and deeper. Blood dripped on the floor. Karl hummed to himself as he cut. "This one," he thought " is for the death of my mother, by taking my father away, you killed her. She still lived and breathed but she was dead inside."

"This one is for being so nice to me, then completely ruining my life."

He dug the tip of the knife hard into Jack's heal, "That," he said aloud "was for keeping it a secret. I wanted to be you; I wanted the adventures you had. I heard you laughing about the conquests you made. I wanted them. I was naive, I didn't realise they were both men and women."

He slowly lowered Jack so he had to stand on those scored feet, the agony creeping up his legs. Karl made him stand there. He picked up the still glowing chains, hefted them in his hands, and lashed them towards Jack. The chain wrapped itself round Jacks chest. The heat burned through his shirt and into his skin.

"Why?" Howled Jack

"You dare to ask that? Your complacency killed my father. Your complacency killed my mother. Your complacency made me. Your complacency is making me hurt you."

Karl's eyes bulged, He screamed with tears in his eyes. "It's your entire fault!"

He lashed out again and again with the chains until they got tangled up in the pipe work.

Jack hung there; Ianto had explained to him how he remembered many things, simply by substituting the memory with a relevant item, and then placing that item in his house in his mind. If he needed to remember something he would go there. Perhaps it would work with pain. With each lash and burn Jack tried not to cry out, he tried to compartmentalise it. Hide it away until he had time to hurt. As the chains finally stopped it went quiet. He opened his eyes as best he could, turning his head this way and that trying to find Karl. As he turned his head to the left all he saw was the back of a shovel coming towards his face at speed and with force. His world went black again.

-x-x-x-x

As Karl hefted the shovel again to hit Jack, he stopped mid swing and simply stared at the unconscious Jack simply hanging there. Karl's eyes betrayed no emotion; they simply stared beyond him looking into memories.

In his mind he strained to hear a small voice.

_It's his fault, he knows everything. He can tell everyone you're different" _said the voice

"Who are you?" Karl thought back the reply

_I am Craggar. I am your true self _the voice whispered.

"No! I Am not Craggar!"

_No you are true Craggar. The blood of kings runs in your vein. Your tratach is true. So much better than human, so much better than this. Humans are worthless. They make good slaves, good game. _The voice once a whisper was slowly getting louder.

"No. Humans are not game, we are not worthless" Karl thought back hotly.

_You are true Craggar. You kill indiscriminately, you are a good hunter._

"I do not kill indiscriminately, just the enemies of Germany"

_You fire weapons at others, you help persecute others._

Karl silently thought on what the Craggar part had said.

_You do nothing against the regime. There are camps where they cleanse the master race. The Pretty blond girl you met in Berlin? The young man you had thoughts about? They will be there in the camps now, her pretty head shorn of hair, her possessions stripped. He's there for being a homosexual; she's there for being a Jew. You know neither will leave. _

Karl tried blocking out the voice, but it was deep in his own mind, there was no way he knew he could manage this. He though of his mother instead

_Your mother knew her place, she was a slave to your father and rightly so._

"No!" Karl replied loudly

_Yes. You are not the same as these humans, if anyone knew your worth would they worship you as they should?_

Karl didn't answer

_No. they would ship you to a camp. They fear difference. You would have to work underground; you would never see the sea. You would be tormented by the guards, Freak! Alien! They would send you to be experimented on._

The voice continued slowly eroding Karl's humanity, pouring paranoia on him. The voice was now loud in his head, his own thoughts tiny in comparison.

"Who would know? Who would tell?" he finally asked. The Craggar was finally taking control, it swivelled his eyes to look at the figure of Jack, slowly coming round.

_Him!_ The voice shouted

Karl heard his own small weak voice ask "What shall I do?" and in response a hundred Craggar voices shouted

_KILL!_

The tiny human voice was blasted away like dust in the ocean and the roar of a thousand Craggar voices lifted revenge into Karl's heart. _KILL JACK EIDERMAN, KILL JACK HARKNESS_

-X-X-X-X-X-X

Goodness knows how long he'd been out. He couldn't see much as the tissue surrounding his eyes had swollen almost forcing them shut. He felt his head been tipped back gently and drops of water being placed on his lips. He liked them thirstily. Then gulped down the mug of water, then he found him self with his mouth forced open, his nose held and being forced to gulp down more and more and more water from the bucket, then another bucket, his belly distending grossly. Karl laughed.

"I hear the Japanese thought this up."

Jack tried shaking his head. The water welled up. He wanted to breath, he tried not swallowing, and he could feel himself drowning. Just as he thought he was, the water stopped. Karl pressed on his stomach roughly until all the water was forced back up through his throat and Jack was sick.

"Please stop"

"Did he beg? Did my father beg you to let them have it?"

"No, He was much braver than me. He begged me not to give it to them. He defied them at all times. I was weak. They almost killed him. I. I loved your father and didn't want him to die."

"He spurned you and you let him die." Karl was not listening to Jack, just to his own voices in his head.

"No!" Jack then said in a very quiet voice, "He loved me back"

Unfortunately that was when Karl tuned in to what Jack said.

"You bastard!"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Ianto had come to rather groggily rubbing the back of his head. He sat on the floor waiting for the dizziness to subside. He stood gingerly and hung on to the bed then the table until he could stand without feeling sick. He looked round for Jack who was nowhere to be seen. A fresh trail of blood and the upturned chair indicated Jack had been taken. It was then that Ianto noticed the bed cover was missing.

On instinct alone he left the room, he could see scuff marks on the floor, the cleaners had managed to mop up the blood that had dripped from Jacks gun shot wound, but the scuffs were fresh. He followed the trail till he came to a junction in the corridor. Here was carpeted. Again he tried instinct and turned left.

10 minutes later he was cursing instinct and had made his way back to the junction. Then carried on down the other corridor. He found a small scratch in the floor. It was barely noticeable, unless you were looking for it. A small arrow pointing down the stairs had been etched into the floor. Jack somehow had left him a little clue.

By following these small clues, sometimes doubling back on him as he mistook a normal scratch for something more, he eventually came to the grand staircase. He stood at the top, feeling out of place and a little daft to be honest. It was defiantly a Jack and Rose moment from Titanic.

The first class passengers were gathering. It was almost time for the Captains Dinner. He swore under his breath. Captain Smith saw him and managed to pull himself away from a very young lady who was hanging on his words.

"Mr Jones, How are you doing with your investigation? I'm starting to be asked questions. Apparently metal men have been seen in the lower decks. They stomped all over the place. Thankfully they were insubstantial enough to do nothing but frighten some of the lower classes."

"Please Lord no. any thing but them." His thoughts turned briefly to Lisa. He still felt the guilt. " They sound like Cybermen, if they become substantial, you have no option, but to sink the ship with them on board."

Captain Smith was shocked.

"Could you do anything to save me doing that?"

"Captain if they appear they will basically turn you into one of them. They take out your brain and discard the rest. Sinking would save not only your passengers but also more than likely the rest of the world. They'd probably rust by the time they'd stomped over to a beach. As for this investigation I _was_ following a trail."

"I'd best let you carry on then Mr Jones." Ianto tried to hurry through the crowd.

"Oh Mr Jones?" the captain called "Please hurry and ask your colleagues to hurry too."

"I'm doing my best." He mumbles back, hoping that his best would be good enough.

_X_X_X_X_X

"My father was not like you! He was a gentleman, HE was a prince."

Jack recognised the denial.

"Your father was a very good soul, He would have walked over the fires of hell for your mother, but he had appetites, that she couldn't satisfy"

"NO!"

"He was omi…" The words were taken out of his mouth as Karl punched him as hard as he could.

Karl hunkered down in a corner, clasping his knees to his chin and rocked slightly, humming to himself."

Jack recognised the song. A Craggarian lullaby "Karl. Let me go please." He asked gently. Karl ignored him, he repeated himself.

Finally Karl stood and faced Jack. Looking into his eyes, Jack saw that any traces of Humanity had been extinguished. In front of him stood proud was a Craggar. His father's people. Inwardly Jack screamed. Craggar, noted for their hardiness and speed, were also vicious and amazing warriors. They were the mercenaries of the universe. He was going to die to today after all. Ok not for long, but he would still be dead.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Ianto was now racing through the ship. He checked café rooms, smoking rooms, the pool, the gymnasium, everywhere he could think of. Yet he had not been able to find a trace. His instinct nagged him; there was something wrong here. Two men just don't disappear.

Could Karl have a perception filter? He closed his eyes and thought hard. The deep blow from the whistle startled him. "It's worth a try." He said to himself. Slowly Ianto made his way down to the bowels of the ship and came to the boiler rooms.

-x-x-x

Jack hung there, hoping against hope that there would be some small part of humanity in Karl. That this tiny spark of humanity would show Karl the insanity of his actions. However, as he looked into Karl's eyes he saw his hope burn on the fire of sheer Craggar revenge.

Jack knew that the Craggar were very good at revenge, the Spanish Inquisition were mere amateurs when compared to the Craggar. He watched Karl, as best as he could, circle him. From over his shoulder Karl growled into Jacks ear, "Did you know that they used to punish homosexuals by getting them all aroused. Then, tie them up, and tie strips of cloth around their cock, then set it alight? Well as you're already tied up all I have to do is…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Ianto pushed open the heavy door into the boiler room and stepped inside. The heat was oppressive. The Boilers constantly being fed huge lumps of coal were constantly churning out steam. He walked around the boilers looking for hiding places. He knew Jack was in trouble, how he knew he couldn't tell, he just did.

"Its not safe here lad"

A heavy hand was placed on Ianto's shoulder, spinning him round to face the owner.

"Its not a safe place here lad" the soft welsh voice washed over him.

Ianto smiled sadly. He knew of this man, this he could deal with.

It took him half an hour to explain Jack's disappearance. Yet another hour to convince Archie he was part of Torchwood.

"Emily would have said if you were there."

Archie's fondness for his sister's friend was well documented in the archives. It was the reason he had taken the job as stoker on the Titanic. To leave her to her work, and colleagues, and find a new life in America, away from strange aliens, and men coming back to life. But most of all to be away from the heartbreak he'd left in Cardiff. Finally he picked another man to assist in the search. Between them they knew every nook and cranny of the boiler room. The search continued.

-x-x-x-x-

Jack was fighting against the sensation. Desperately he tried to think of Cold things, abhorrent things, Things that would put him off sex for life, but he knew he was on to a loosing battle; he had too many tastes of all races, sexes, and kinks. He tried to think of when John Hart had buried him alive, but traitorous memories kept bring out the time he was stuck in the time loop with John. More cold things, he needed to think of cold things, Ice, and snow, almost freezing to death on the cold planet of Creation, but he remembered the Ice ladies, who could thaw out the coldest of men. He thought of the life draining away from him when Abbadon tried to walk the earth. In desperation he tried to think of the Iron lady herself, but he was always drawn to power, besides Margaret was quite a imaginative soul, even if she wasn't human. Despite all this Karl was good, his hands were soft and caressing He was wonderful. Jack let out a great cry of pain as he felt the heat and the flames lick at his stomach. He wept great big sobs, begging to be released from the pain. Karl dowsed the flames with water from the bucket and laughed. Then he hit every part of Jack, breaking his ribs, bruising his face. He flogged him with the now cooled chain… Jack's system took the easy way out and with every nerve screaming he blacked out

-x-x-x-x

Ianto's world had lurched as the incessant crackle and hiss grew louder in Ianto's ears. His anger rose as he had found Jack and Karl hidden away in the pipe work. Ianto cried out a long dark Welsh war cry as Karl swung the shovel again. Ianto managed to grab it and spin Karl round, landing a punch right on that perfect 'German' jaw line.

Anger had not risen alone, a red mist had come with it, but as it cleared, Ianto was no longer looking at a very insane German Sub Captain, but his own mortal enemy. Ianto's deep memories were playing tricks on him. He knew they were in the Titanic, but his own eyes saw the remains of an old cottage. A body in the corner, lay in a heap, fallen where it had been slain. And the killer in front of him, Ianto's stolen sword in his hand, a pict's stolen kilt, and a bear skin gillet. The dear skull's antlers had been reduced to stop it slipping from his head. Blue whorls and tattoos adorned his body. This was the Heruli warrior Ianto had befriended years ago. "You Bastard. He took you in, taught you the secrets, and you betrayed him."

-x-x-x-x-

Then it went quiet, Karl had gone. Jack tried to look around, but his vision was almost gone. He felt rough hands hold his waist, he was being held up, the chains holding his arms released. He felt pain along every inch of his body. Even though it was healing, Jack knew it would take a long time. He tried to take a step, but the incisions into his feet caused him to stumble into the arms of the man releasing him.

"Steady old boy. Not seen you like this before"

Vaguely Jack recalled the voice.

"Archie?" he whispered "thank you."

"Shush man, lets get you out of here, John here is going to help, it's going to be a climb to get to the office, but you'll be safe there, away from the gossips down here."

Between Archie and John they managed to manoeuvre Jack as gently as possible out of the hiding hole.

With blurred vision he saw two figures atop a huge pile of coal, "Is that Ianto?" Jack asked

Archie shrugged, "Says he is, also says he works for you. To be honest I didn't think you lot would follow me here. How's Alice?"

Jack didn't answer, He couldn't, both Alice and Emily had died too young, not long after the end of the war. He wondered if he'd have been able to do more to save them

-x-x-x-

In Ianto's eyes the claymore sung round towards him, he managed to duck, but still felt its wind overhead. The sword scored out a channel in the stone behind him. He turned and scrambled out of the ruins, followed by the Heruli laughing something back, unfamiliar, guttural and harsh, but Ianto clearly understood the inflections. Once out side Ianto made his way to his clan's sacred place. This was a place most feared to go. It was a patch of ground in the open, totally indistinct from any other part of the land.

From the new abbey close by Ianto heard the chanting of the monks. The abbey was close to the old fort and the metalworkings of Caerdydd. The religious men, who had come to Wales to convert Silure tribes, were frightened of this place. Their Abbot tried to stop the fear, claiming 'That in the year of our lord 358, there are no such things as ghosts" This was to be a holy place, they would build their monastery here; but he too had heard the cries, and then the silence from below his feet. This voice could often be heard from under the ground and it brought fear into their hearts. Only Ianto would go there, unafraid, he'd heard the muffled sobs, the fear in the chocked cries. Occasionally he would believe that his name had been called. Who ever were buried here was no demon, only a restless soul. Over the years this ground had become sacred, the village that lay close was becoming a powerful force, soon Caerdydd would be the Lords place but for now this simple patch of ground was sacred, and held power that Ianto needed. Unfortunately the Heruli also knew, and it would be a race to gain the power first.

-x-x-x-x

"John, I need you to stay here, and keep an eye out for the little one. Once he's finished with that man, dispose of what's left of him, and then bring the little one to the office." Archie whispered to his colleague,

"Archie! What if that man finishes him off? "John was nervous, all stokers were superstitious, and John was more so. He'd had some experience of 'psychics' and they terrified him. Archie was no exception.

"John, He's a Celt, he's been on this earth before, and he's not due to die yet. He has..."

Archie stopped and glazed slightly. He shook his head. "Please just do it"

He led Jack away slowly and painfully

-x-x-x-x-

Ianto had seen the injuries inflicted by the Heruli on his clan chief. Cadwgan was strong, but he knew in his heart that the chief would die. That would make either him or the Heruli the next chief. It was all down to who won this fight. Ianto could feel the power call of the ancient beneath his feet. He knew he was more sensitive than the others in the clan. His adopted father had been the mystic all called on to make the medicines, or to call upon the gods to ensure good harvest, or clean kills. Although Ianto knew only a little magic his father had great hopes. Words rose unbidden as he raced to the top of the burrow. Words choked him, requesting to be said. These words formed on his mouth; suddenly a soothing calming voice entered his head, and coaxed those words back down into his mind. Different words were bidden and Ianto spoke them. He'd just managed to get the last word out as the Heruli cannoned into him, knocking him down. Lying on the ground Ianto felt the power of the ancient fill him. Slowly he stood. The Heruli bunched his fist and slammed it into Ianto's stomach. Ianto felt nothing. Every blow the Heruli threw at him, he avoided, every knife thrust he parried, every spell the Heruli tried to call on, Ianto crushed with his will.

The soul's voice from below distracted Ianto for a moment. The Heruli took advantage and lunged towards him, knife in hand. Ianto slipped backwards slightly causing the Heruli to over reach. Lazily Ianto reached out into the gap and took hold of Karl's throat and squeezed. He felt fingers clawing at his arms and face, nails scratched his skin, but still he carried on squeezing. Eventually there was no movement left but to be sure Ianto said the word and the Heruli's neck snapped.

The crack of Karl's neck cleared the mist and the memories from Ianto's eyes. He was no longer in a sacred place, but at the top of a huge pile of coal. . At the bottom of the pile one of the stokers stood. A huge muscular man, striped down to his trousers. His upper body covered in coal dust and sweat. Ianto looked around. Several more stokers were peering round the huge boilers. . Ianto down looked at his hands. He did not know how he had come to be here, or why his hands were covered in blood. He half slid, half clambered down the coal pile.

"Shit!, dim ond beth ddigwyddodd? beth wnaeth i ei wneud? ble mae e?" he asked.

The man just stared

"lle yn y dyn arteithio hyd??"

Again he just stared. Ianto realised he had returned to speaking welsh, so by slowing his racing mind down he repeated the question in English. Slowly for good measure.

"Where. Is. The. Man. Taken. From. The. Pipe works?"

"You're bloody good in a fight; you're on my side next time in trouble!"

"What?"

"The way you did all that fancy fighting. Oh don't worry about him; we'll sort that bugger out. All sorts of things happen at sea don't you know?"

Ianto was slow on the uptake, until the stoker looked pointedly at the body then at the boilers.

"Thank you" he mumbled. "Take me to Jack please"

"I warn you, he's not a pretty sight, that bugger had done nearly everything he could think of to him"

"Jack will survive he usually does."

The stocker led Ianto past the double row of huge boilers, each one over 17ft high, and each one designed to burn nearly 700tons of coal per day. The heat tore at the lungs. Other stokers watched as Ianto walked past. Each man's skin glowed with sweat and coal dust in the light of the huge fires lit in the bellies of the boilers.

"Back to work lads" the stoker leading Ianto yelled. They walked back towards the stern of the ship. The massive pistons which rotated the propeller, raised and lowered with ear deafening noise. Together they climbed a wide ladder, which lead to the next level. Eventually they came to a room where the engine noise although audible was not uncomfortable.

Ianto watched as Archie tended to Jack, who was sprawled on a chair, legs resting on another chair, and his tattered trousers trailing on the floor. The branding from the red-hot chains that had been wrapped around him was an angry red. Most of his skin was also lobster red from the heat. Hundreds of small cuts were visibly healing themselves. But the worse was to come. Jack turned his face to them. Ianto stepped forward. His compassion for Jack overwhelmed the disgust at the injuries sustained. One side of his face was almost burned away; he could see the bones of his cheek and jaw. His eye no longer sparkled but was opaque.

"Are you alright Ianto?" Jack asked

"Yes…" he replied before pausing

"Sort of…"

" …ummm no I… I don't know what happened. I was here, but I wasn't… it's hard to explain"

"You've an old head on young shoulders friend." Archie explained. "There's something about you, like you've been on this earth before, a long time ago, Guido thinks you've never left it" he continued.

"Guido?" asked Ianto confused

"Guido is Archie's spirit guide – let's leave it at that" Replied Jack

"Jack and me have met before; I've seen him around Cardiff a lot, usually running chasing beevels."

"Weevils"

"Yeah, Ugly buggers aren't they?"

"Emily has told me a bit about you, Jack but nothing about Mr Ianto here. New are you?"

"you could say that" replied Jack.

"I'll get you both something to drink; the heat in here is something nasty."

Archie left, and Ianto wandered over to Jack. "Small world isn't it?" Jack asked

"Getting smaller sir" He started to laugh but it was the manic laughter of shock, which quickly changed into huge racking sobs. "I. Don't. Remember. Killing. Him." He managed to get out between sobs. "I've done it before but never with my own hands and if felt so satisfying."

"When I saw you hanging there it just lost it. It was as though something was in my brain, egging me forward. I couldn't stop until he was dead." Ianto hung his head.

"You may have a little berserker in you. According to Archie, in the ancient clan wars you'd have been upfront, Red mist comes down; you bite your shield then off you go. Unstoppable killing frenzy, unless they managed to get stab in first. Always said the Welsh Celts were worst than the Irish." Jack tried to smile; instead it came out as a painful wince.

Ianto shook his head, " No there was something more than that, I could hear whispering in my head, Words wanted me to say them, but something stopped them. I remember magic, and power, so much power. I was stood on a barrow, one of those ancient burial mounds. This sounds really stupid I know, but inside was the most powerful, ancient warrior Wales had known and I borrowed his power. But I was here, not there, not then." He looked at Jack

"Well?"

Jack looked at him, sometimes the mind plays tricks, maybe it was a way of your mind coping with what you were actually doing, or if this accelerator is powering up, maybe you were there, and here. It's something we'll never know."

The hundreds of tiny well-placed cuts had now healed. The branding from the chains was o longer an angry red, the lobster red skin was a healthier colour, and slowly his face was being repaired. Muscle crept forward over the cheekbone and down to the Jaw. Skin followed not too long behind it. Ianto concentrated on Jacks eye. Slowly the opaque eye changed into the sparkle that Ianto loved.

Drained from it all Jack just sat there. "We'll lay off the little tie up games for a while" suggested Ianto

"Don't worry I'm sure I can think of something else"

Together they smiled.

Jack was almost back.


	14. Chapter 14

**Usual disclaimers apply, wish they really didn't X **

**thank you to all who left reviews. they are all apreciated, and encourage me.**

* * *

Chapter 14

They sat for a good hour in the office; Archie had brought them a drink and sat for a while with them. Neither Archie nor Ianto questioned Jack as to what had happened, they figured he would tell in his own time.

"What're you boys here for then?" Archie finally had asked.

"We're looking for something, something that doesn't belong here in this world." Jack answered.

Jack explained about the accelerator, and its abilities.

"I think I've seen it" exclaimed Archie

"What?!"

"Ismay brought something down looking a bit like that thing you've described. He tried to tie its power to the Central turbine engine. Worked too for all of 10 minutes before the shaft bounced, we hit 30 knots in that time." Wincing slightly, Jack leant forward showing interest.

Archie thought, "I think it was late on this morning. Apparently the only way you could tell was the flags fluttered faster, and the bow wave was a little larger. Engineer has spent all today frigging something together to be able to tie it in permanently. "

"Ismay's desperate for the Blue Ribbon. He will do anything to ensure the White Star line gets it." Archie let out a heavy sigh

"I'm not sure that this ship can do the speed he wants. Between the three of us, some things have been scrimped on, poor rivets and they've not double lined the front and sides. Engineering budget was cut and overtaken by outfitters to prove this is the most glamorous ship in the world. The sea trials only took one day, half of that we cruised at moderate speed, they should have taken longer and should have steamed at top speed. The engineer has expressed doubts about the keel, says it looks a little battered for a new ship.

Some of the other stokers think this is in reality the Olympic, however, after that collision with HMS Hawke, things have just gone downhill for the White Star line. Ismay's obsession with gaining the ribbon, is going to cost this ship, I hope it just doesn't cost lives."

Jack nodded; it was hard being sympathetic when he knew nearly all of what Archie had said was right. He couldn't warn him, or tell him to not be there, he just had to let it be. No matter how much he liked him.

"Thank you Archie." Ianto bit his lip, "Archie- tomorrow, don't be down here." Jack gave Ianto a fierce look and shook his head. Ianto didn't care, this man had saved some one he loved, and Ianto felt he needed repaying, but Archie knowingly looked at them both.

"I have to be, I'm ready, I have no fear." He turned his head away so they couldn't see how scared he really was. He'd seen what was coming; his 'guide' would be waiting for him.

Ianto looked back at him as they both left the office. "Do you think he'll be ok?" he asked Jack.

"He's one of the bravest men I know. He'll be ok." Jack replied

Ianto ducked under Jacks shoulder to offer him support as they made the winding way up to the decks.

With Ianto under Jack's shoulder giving him all the support he needed, Jack's doubts about their relationship faded away. But his doubts about himself came back twofold… Could he really give Ianto what he deserved? He couldn't even die trying anymore.

"Come on we need to see the Captain, then we need sleep/rest or just to lay there staring at the ceiling, it's been a crap day, and a crap week." Jack leaned a little harder on Ianto. Ianto just stared in to the distance, listening.

"I'll give you a penny for them." Jack whispered to Ianto

"What?"

"Your thoughts, Penny for them."

"A paltry penny! Some of my thoughts are worth at least ten years incarceration in some countries" Ianto exclaimed, laughing. He stopped suddenly.

"Can you hear it? He asked

"What?"

That bloody noise, all hiss and crackle, like static on the radio? It's all I've heard since we've been here."

"Nope can't hear a thing" replied Jack.

Suddenly they both clapped their hands over their ears. The audible hiss was all around them; Jack glanced round trying to find the source.

"You mean that noise?" Jack said loudly as the ship rocked violently, throwing them in to the wall. Ianto Nodded soundlessly.

Another lurch knocked Jack over so that he pinned Ianto against the wall. As quickly as it came, the noise stopped.

"Is now really the time for this? Are you sure you want this" Ianto asked poorly hiding a grin as he reached behind Jack and grabbed his backside.

"There's always time." Jack pinned Ianto to the walled further and went to kiss him. Ianto looked up and into Jacks eyes when something caught his own eye. He turned to look.

"We've left the Titanic" he stated

Jack stood up straight and turned round taking in the surrounding scenery. He groaned. Jack straightened and turned taking in the dull beige walls. Very little artwork was left on the walls, although you could see the brighter areas where it had been. He sniffed the air. Alongside the smell of the sea, he could smell a faint trace of Event Horizons. After travelling to the end of the universe on the outside of the TARDIS, that smell had lingered with him for weeks. He knew that wherever the TARDIS was that smell would insinuate itself into the air. He supposed that this smell was the smell of time itself. The gradual passing of time could never be smelt, or even stopped, but as you jump through time, it wraps itself around you, makes you comfortable with it. He gazed round searching for something to identify where they were this time. He found it in the scuffmarks on the floor. His memory flashed back to him dragging a large heavy create along the long corridor, the Elder and the Doctor in front, not offering help at all. He'd been 'spoken' to by Captain Smith afterwards, but he'd had fun at the time.

"Bollocks! Not the sodding Jupiter?"

"Captain Smiths old ship?" Ianto hazarded a guess

Jack nodded mutely, and then replied distantly.

"The Jupiter was a ship that took the Europa refugees on board and helped them resettle over towards the Grand Banks. It was his last captaincy for Cargo ships and I was freelancing for Torchwood, well anyone then. A few volunteers and I helped them" He turned to Ianto.

"You do not tell anyone anything here. When we get back you do not tell anyone anything there either. I need your word on this. I made a promise to the Europa refugees. I need you to promise to me" Jack insisted.

"Don't you trust me?"

"I do, they won't"

Silently Jack stalked up the corridor knocked on the first door he came to. When he received no answer he tried the handle and went in dragging Ianto in with him. "We need to stay here for a while quietly" he insisted.

"So what do you want to do whilst waiting?" asked Ianto.

Jack leered

"Really? After all that? You really are something else?" Replied Ianto.

"Sit, straddle the chair," He ordered Jack.

"No"

"When I say sit I expect you to obey like the animal you are," Ianto leaned forward hissing into Jacks ear, whilst untying his own tie to use as bindings on Jack.

Ianto slapped him forcefully then drew back, "Shit Jack, _You_ may be able to do this but _I_ can't. Not yet, after seeing you like that"

Jack sat on the comfy bench under the porthole "I'm ok. Really I am" he gazed intently at Ianto.

"I'm not though." Ianto sat beside him and leant into him. They sat together, leaning into each other, Ianto breathing in Jacks scent, and Jack breathing in the scent of Ianto's Hair. Slowly his head dropped so he was resting gently on the top of Ianto's head. Ianto listened to the slowing of Jacks breathing. Jack gradually fell asleep.

Ianto gazed round the room. There was nothing here to mark it as some ones room, or even a communal room. Several long couches were haphazardly placed, a table at the back suggested that sometime ago it might have been used as a dinning room., Everything was beige! He shuddered. Whoever invented Beige should have been shot.!

An hour passed slowly, and then another, Ianto started fidgeting. He moved and Jack stretched out on the bench, His long legs hanging over the end, an arm draped on the floor, as through trailing through water when relaxing on a hot summer day in a rowing boat. Ianto watched whilst Jack slept, scowls and fear expressions fleetingly passed over his face. He stirred in his sleep, occasionally gasping out. Ianto reached out to him making soothing noises, like a mother to a child, in the hope they would dispel the bad dreams. Eventually Ianto rose and quietly opened the door of the room and glanced down either side of the corridor. It was empty. He stepped out and wandered down the corridor. This ship was simple and nothing as ostentatious as the Titanic. He could hear voices coming towards him.

"….. odd, I saw him fall in, The tug steamed right over him. When they pulled him out he was dead, churned up something terrible. On top of that, there is defiantly something strange about the passengers, and that blue box thing."

"Did they approach you to volunteer?"

"Yeah. Turned it down, nothing is worth what they wanted to do."

The voices came closer; Ianto ran in the opposite direction, turned a corner and bumped into two burley crewmembers. "Oi!" one yelled as Ianto turned and ran. "Stowaway!"

Two men chased after him, Ianto tried to figure out where he was going as he ran.

One of the crewmen lunged at Ianto, just managing to trip him. As Ianto fell to the floor, the other man sat heavily on him, pulling Ianto's arms behind him. Between them they managed to get Ianto on his feet as he yelled for Jack.

Ianto's first call had woken Jack, but he remained in that room, listening to Ianto's calls for help. He knew he couldn't yet risk going out, someone may see him. He didn't really want to go and bump into himself yet, and being reminded of this short, embarrassing and painful episode of his life.

Ianto still struggling lashed out with his legs. As he did he managed to catch one of the men right between the legs. As he doubled over in agony clutching himself, he managed to gasp.

"Knock him out Charlie. I don't need anymore damage; I'm getting married when we get home"

The man called Charlie laughed, "Does she know it yet?"

Ianto felt a sudden pain across the back of his skull and his world went black as the laughing man struck him on the back of the head.

-x-x-x-x

When Ianto awoke he found he'd been manhandled into a shabby room, and tied to a chair. Normally he wouldn't have minded, but then normally he was awake and with Jack when that happened. The back of his skull ached and there was a foul taste in his mouth… blood… he must have cut his mouth somehow. He rotated his head to get the kinks out of his neck. He gazed round the darkened room, he found he was being watched. Big round blue eyes stared at him, in a slightly disinterested way, an ear twitched.

"I don't suppose you would be able to free me?" Ianto asked

He struggled against the ropes binding him to the chair.

"It would be very helpful." He continued

"Normally I'd be in a much better situation, but I believe that its not one of those days."

The cat continued to stare at him, then began to wash its paw.

"Thanks puss. God I must be mad"

"No madness is when you start answering yourself back. Who are you?" A familiar voice from behind startled him; a comforting aroma of Jack's smell enveloped him.

"Jack?"

"Who are you? Where are you from?" The voice repeated

"Jack this is not the time for silly buggers, Let me go"

"Who are you?

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Ianto Jones. Torchwood 3. Cardiff. Come on Jack! What is going on?"

"Don't they shoot stowaways?" A woman's soft voice interrupted Jack before he could reply

"Usually." He replied

Ianto tried to hop the chair round to face the speakers, but the woman came over to him and stopped him.

She was stunningly beautiful. At over 6ft 5" she towered over the seated Ianto. Her eyes were oriental in shape, although the whole of the eye was completely black. Her oval face and skin was pale, almost snow white in comparison. But her full lips were ice blue. She knelt down to Ianto's level; the white shift dress rose up and showed off her lower legs. Pale blue scales. Ianto looked twice, Yes they were defiantly scales, but so very delicate scales, and so very nice legs. When she spoke he was completely attuned to her voice. It was almost hypnotic.

She held Ianto's face and turned it from side to side examining it. He half expected her to check his teeth.

"Oh he's good. He's strong too, and so very, very pretty. As he's not supposed to be here do you think we could bre…"

"No! Not this one. Don't you have enough with the seven of us? Besides you don't know who he is or where he's been" Ianto could hear the pout in Jacks voice.

She stuck out her bottom lip in a childish sulk and leaned in to Ianto "Hormones" she whispered. "Be careful you don't upset him. He's delicate at the moment. Tell me about yourself, how did you get here? Jack checked the ship himself before we left for stowaways"

"I was thrown here by…" he stopped; He promised he wouldn't say anything.

"That's it! I don't care how pretty he is I'm going to shoot him" Jack exclaimed. Ianto heard the click of a hammer being primed on a small pistol. He felt the cold of the metal barrel being pressed into the back of his neck.

The door into the corridor was thrown open and someone else entered then sat beside him. His trench coat flapped around him. The brown suit and pumps completely mismatched, but the smile and floppy hair took his breath away.

"Ah. So you're the famous Ianto Jones!" said the newcomer breathlessly.

"I am?"

"Jack leave the room. Please to meet you Mr Jones" He ordered before holding out his hand ready to shake Ianto's. He noticed the ropes "AWW now why did he have to tie you up... Jack Leave the room please I need to speak to Mr Jones in private. Go. Now. Cass stay." the man ordered as he untied Ianto. He heard a "Humph" and footsteps moving away.

"Cass check the door, Jack is not above ear wigging" They all heard a foot stamp behind the door as the woman click it shut.

"Who are you and how do you know me? Where's my Jack?" Ianto demanded

"Oh we've met before… can't say when of course may alter history,time or even fate as such it is" the man babbled on. Ianto got the distinct impression that this was a man with far too many brain cells for his own good, "This time, the old girl must have jumped on to your signature and followed it here, of course, the Europa rescue was a bonus" Ianto's jaw had dropped. Did this man actually know when to shut up? Who was the old girl? He thought. "As for your Jack, well Rose will find him and bring him here, so how did you get here? you can tell me"

Ianto refused to speak,

Come on you can trust me, I'm the doctor"

Most would have said 'A Doctor' but he was cocky enough to say 'The Doctor' it clicked. This was the man who had very briefly stopped by that day and token that photo of the three of them, He'd not stopped around for long, just long enough to send Jack into a tizzy, whilst his ship refuelled on the rift.

"It's ok Ianto you can tell the Doctor" Ianto was relieved to see the Jack he knew stride into the room. The remaining scar on his face would take a long time to heal, or regenerate completely next time he died. Jack stood by a young woman who Ianto immediately recognised.

"I remember you… the Cybermen… Daleks… the fall of Torchwood one…its y"

"Stop! It's not happened yet. Don't go on!" The Doctor frantically waved at him to stop speaking

Chastised Ianto clamped his mouth shut, then turned to Jack

"What the hell is going on?"

Jack looked towards the doctor, who nodded agreement.

"This is a rescue ship. We … well rescued a dying race.."

The woman named Cass stepped forward. "I am Elder Cass, My race was on a dying planet. The ice was turning our sea solid, and as we are water breathers we can't survive ice. Our males were no longer breeding due to a virus."

Ianto looked hard at the Doctor who whispered " Like seahorses"

Elder Cass continued, " Yes. I've been told about seahorses, we're like them. We sent out a call, the doctor heard, and brought us here. We will be safe, in your oceans; we are going to be unseen. We will be in the deep places. The Grand banks and the Rift"

"But you're breathing air now?" Ianto asked

"No" she reached into a pocket and withdraw a small silver cigarette case." This enables us to breath, the tube goes straight to here." At this she pulled back her hair, and Ianto saw a tiny Tube enter her neck, at what appeared to be a sort of gill " plus we're on the sea itself, we can swim anytime we want to." She turned to look at Jack, drinking in his image "Thank you, without you and your friends we would be no more. You will be in our song forever."

"Just look after me when its my turn" he replied shortly

"Seahorses" the Doctor said again. "Right what are you two doing here?" he asked

"There's an accelerator on the Titanic. We've been dragged back to find it. Its jump caught us and placed us here" Interrupted Jack.

"O. Kay... "The man rolled his eyes, "I can't leave this place for more than five minuets with out it all going a little pear shaped. Right-t-ho I have to get you back there. You have to get that Accelerator Jack, I can't help you on this one."

The second Jack's curiosity had overtaken him and he'd come into the room. His gasp made them all turn.

Jack strode over to himself and critically looked himself over. "You're not eating properly. Have a word of advice. Eat, Rest, they're going to take it out of you. How long to go?"

"Cass says three more days" He sulked

"You're a future me?" asked the extra Jack.

"I really used to state the obvious didn't I? Yes I'm you, from the future. You must rest, stay with the others, they'll be scared when it's their time. You're going to have to reassure them. Remember you're helping save a race" he turned away, remembered something and turned back to himself. "Take Cass's advice then when it's all over, I'd suggest you take Retcon… you will not really want to remember all this. Now go away." Ianto's Jack insisted

As he stepped away the second Jack was visible and looking at Ianto, almost etching his face into his memory. Ianto gazed back. Jack had not changed much in the 100 years, he wasn't as full in the face, as he used to be, and he may have lost a little weight maybe.. he glanced down over Jacks body before Jack turned away, Under the loose fitting shirt there was a definite rounded belly…almost preg…nah Jacks a man, but he had said he'd been pregnant before? Could this be it? Ianto chased the thought out of his head. As Jack headed back through the door Ianto caught a glimpse of several other men in the room beyond. All had perfect round stomachs like Jacks.

"Right… Now all the introductions, warnings, pieces of useless advice have been completed, you're going home. The doctor stood and pulled on Ianto's arm until he too stood. Confused by most of it all, Ianto followed a laughing Doctor, Jack and Rose through the maze of corridors to the hold below.

The hold was a treasure trove of unimaginable things. The archives looked like a little corner shop compared to the superstore of items in here. Each item gleamed with cold silver, and although inanimate each one seamed to live. As they walked through this Aladdin's cave their breath steamed in the air. Ianto listened to the ramblings and laughter of those in front. As an outsider he noticed the first flush of love between the Doctor and Rose, he wondered if they themselves had noticed it.

In a dark corner of the hold stood the TARDIS. Ianto smiled. He'd heard so many things about this craft from Jack, and here it finally stood in front of him. He frowned, some thing was not quite right, he couldn't put his finger on it, but he could feel it in his heart.

"Bloody CAT!" Ianto heard the doctor yell.

"That damn thing has done nothing but trip me all up through out this trip. If it's in a room it wants to go out, and if it's out of the room it's got to come in…"

Jack knelt to the cat, and tickled it under its chin. It's purr echoed in the silence of the hold. It wandered over to Ianto and head butted him until he too knelt down and petted it. It wound its way around his legs purring louder and louder each time. He looked up, Jack, the doctor and Rose, had disappeared, he drew in breath sharply, suspecting the worse, until Jack peered round the open door,

"Come on" he instructed

The warm glow from inside the TARDIS was welcoming, and cosy. Ianto eagerly crossed the threshold and stood there, taking in every detail.

"Close the door, were you born in a barn?" Rose asked

"Yes" he simply said

Rose stared at him unsure of what to make of him, until Ianto laughed, "I don't really know – I can't remember that far back" He turned and pulled the door too. As he touched the handle, the TARDIS erupted into song. A gentle welcoming song, which could be heard through out the ship.

Jack threw a questioning look at both the Doctor and Rose, who shrugged.

"She's never done that before," exclaimed the Doctor

Ianto ran his hand delicately around the TARDIS, Slowly taking in all abnormalities, caressing the steel.

"Ianto!" Jack said sharper than he intended.

Ianto said nothing.

The song reached a multi-voiced harmony before returning to the gentle song, Ianto's breathing slowed even more, inside his head he could hear his blood pouring through his veins, the slowness of his own heart, the double beat of each pulse, His eyes snapped open. There was an echo of a heart beating in his head.

"She's only done that once before." The doctor admitted

"Maybe she likes him?" suggested Rose

Suddenly he jerked his fingers away from the walls. He'd had a disturbing thought. That wasn't an echo. It was another heartbeat. He responded vaguely to Roses comment.

"I like her. She feels and sounds familiar". This felt like home. He wanted to kick off his shoes and rest here, he felt so tired, and so old. He closed his eyes leaning against the walls of the TARDIS. He abruptly stopped as images started to flicker in his mind,

The doctor and Jack stared at him. "What?" he demanded. "Is there something on my face?"

Both mutely shook their heads. Each of them had seen Ianto, eyes half closed, moving his lips silently singing along with the TARDIS.

The central power lift rose up of it's own accord, and a familiar 'whom whoop' noise could be heard. Within moments of it starting a confused Doctor announced that they were on the Titanic, whilst simultaneously apologising for being in a cupboard.

"Sometimes the old girl has no sense of how to make an entrance" he admitted. Reluctantly Ianto left the warmth of the TARDIS followed by Jack. The doctor pulled him back.

"Jack you need to find this accelerator and destroy it. This planet is too important to go to waste"

He pulled Jack towards him and whispered "Keep Ianto safe, I've been told he's a key to something much bigger" Jack nodded, and smiled, "I Plan to"

The doctor remembered the smile and conversation many years in the future with the all-knowing face of Boe, and the smile that came with it. One of shear pleasure, swiftly followed by a yearning loss. He wondered.

Outside of the TARDIS Jack and Ianto stood and watched it disappear.

"What was all that about?" Ianto asked

Jack shrugged

"No, the two Jacks on the ship. What was wrong with you and the others?"

"Ianto… Never volunteer for something before you know what they actually want to do to you! Come on lets find the Ladies" He strode off with Ianto following behind with no hope of getting any more information out of Jack about his time on The Jupiter.

* * *

**Thanks to the lovely Emelye14283 for beta'ing x**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Ianto had left, Jack, Gwen and Cornelia during the report back to Captain Smith. He'd seen most of it, he wasn't needed to explain it. He needed to think, to get his head round what was going off. And to try and figure out Cornelia, Something was familiar about her. Familiarity had wormed its way to the back of his brain and nagged him. He strolled around the parade deck, lost in thought. Occasional late night figures catching his eye. The chaste lovers sat closely together, their chaperone, in view but not too close. A woman and man walking arm in arm, until the woman started waving her arms around, obviously talking frantically, the man's head bowed as he listened.

Ianto's wandering took him to the rear of the ship. Traitorous thoughts interrupted his own train of thought, trying to stop him piecing bits together. He was starting to get pissed off now, since they'd been on the ship he'd constantly heard the hiss and crackle right on the edge of his hearing. Most of the time he could tune it out, but the last few hours it was incessant and nagging at him.

He leaned on the railing watching the moonlight play over the sea. Ianto knew that they had only one day left, to find this thing before they had to get off the ship, otherwise they had as much chance of surviving as the rest of the passengers. Dying before you were born, how did that really work out? What would be put on his headstone, assuming he had one, 1983-1912?. HE was under no illusion he would die young and more than likely violently, defending the earth He wondered

He rubbed his face with cold hands and huffed on them before stuffing them into his jacket pocket. 'I must be mad' he thought to himself. 'I've killed someone, with my own hands. Am I a Murderer or was it justified? Christ I'm loosing it.' The urge to yell rose from his stomach, He glanced round, no one was about, so hanging on to the rail he let out an almighty primal yell keeping it going until all the air had left his lungs. He took another deep breath ready to release another yell when he noticed the dolphins escorting the ship.

It was a large pod at least 20 of them all swimming and chasing each other, occasionally jumping high out of the water. 'Isn't it a little cold for you guys here?' he asked out loud.

"No. The water is quite warm here." He heard the reply come out of nowhere.

Ianto spun round looking for the owner of the voice. There was still no one on deck. He threw his hands up in despair. "Stop pissing about Jack and come out of the hiding place"

"Down here" came the voice from below his feet. Still clinging to the rail, Ianto looked over; no one was there except the dolphins. "Yeah ok its you lot, always knew dolphins were intelligent"

"Sarcasm is apparently the lowest form of wit. We're not Dolphins." The voice insisted.

Once again Ianto rubbed his face with his hands. As he lowered them from his eyes he noticed something different on the horizon. In the false dawn two moons were setting, He looked at the water then back at the moons. "Since when have we had two moons?" he asked the unknown voice

"2012, it's a captured comet, came out of nowhere and stayed there. You look different from the others, not all solid, sort of vague. Who are you?" asked the voice.

"Ianto Jones, Who are you?"

He felt the intake of breath.

"We are the pod, we are Europans, Are you 'The' Ianto Jones? Owner of Captain Harkness?"

"Errm. Yes?" he said out loud but thought 'Owner? What the hell?'

A wave of respect flooded over him, together 20 voices shouted" Father, Lover, Friend! Without you and your captain we would have …"

"STOP!" a much older voice yelled from beside his ear at the voices from the sea.

"That is a memory not yet born. You must not say any more!"

Ianto turned to the speaker, she was stunningly beautiful. At over 6ft 5" she just stood slightly over him. Her eyes were oriental in shape, although the whole of the eye was completely black. Her oval face and skin was pale, almost snow white in comparison. But her full lips were ice blue.

"You haven't changed one bit since we last met." She whispered, staring at him.

"Sorry…and you are?"

"Elder Cass. You shouldn't be here. You need to go back. We can only see and hear you, as we will be linked sometime in your future."

"Where am I then, I was on the Titanic, where am I now?"

"Hospital ship, 2043, August. I'm sorry Ianto Jones for all we did, we needed to survive. As you do now, You need to go back" She insisted

Ianto looked round, "yeah, I'll just click my heels together three times then…" he stopped as he noticed two elderly people walk from a helipad towards large glass doors. He recognised the walk. Her companion fussed round her as he always had. Age hadn't slowed her down at all.

"That's Gwen!" he exclaimed "And Rhys!"

"They come every couple of months. So far they've never missed your birthday"

"Gwen! Rhys!" he shouted

"They can't hear you. You're here, but not here, only your mind & soul is here, the rest is still leaning on the rail of the Titanic."

He looked at Elder Cass "Sod that! I can try" and he ran to them

"Gwen!" he reached out to touch them but insubstantial as he was he could not make them feel his touch. He tried Rhys. "Rhys!"

Who looked round "Did you say anything love?"

"You're going daft Rhys" Gwen replied

"No I thought I heard some one call me"

"Rhys! Its me, Ianto, Please listen" Ianto tried again,

"No love, there's something calling,"

Gwen made a show of trying to listen. "No pet, there's nothing there, Just gulls and sea sounds. Come on Duncan's waiting"

Helpless Ianto followed them through the great glass doors. He noticed the Torchwood symbol etched into each door. Looking round inside the subtle signs of torchwood were visible. Additional security camera's were visible. Each member of staff wore earpieces, each with the Torchwood logo on. Portraits lined the wall. Ianto recognised most of them; further inspection of the name plates told him who they were. They were all at some point part of Torchwood 3. Yet there was no Jack and No Ianto, 'What happened to us?' he thought.

As they slowly made their way through the corridors Ianto peered in through windows of each room. Various patients were in, waiting, although there was no hint of what they were waiting for. Some rooms were darkened, although there was clearly someone there as he could hear howls of frustration and anger coming from behind closed doors. Some rooms were securely locked. Several patients threw themselves against the windows as they walked past. Occasionally some would stare directly at him. Ianto slowly came to realise. This was another version of Flat Holm. It must be for victims of the Rift. Was he here? Was Jack here?. Paranoia started to creep in.

He listened to Gwen and Rhys' conversation intently, trying to pick out from the general chitchat anything to relate to him or Jack. Eventually Gwen and Rhys came face to face with a young doctor.

"Mum, Dad! So you old fogy's made it then" He smiled warmly and hugged them both.

"Duncan you get worse"

"Well after your last bout of treatment you got us worried. You took a long time to recover."

"You've mother has faced worse, and won." Rhys reminded him,

"Yes, but this time she's on her own. There's no Torchwood, and the stubborn old fool she is still…"

"Oi! I'm still here!"

"Sorry mum, but you gave us a scare. Leukaemia is hard to fight at your age. That bloody accident didn't help".

"That was years ago, I still think we came out of it better off. We got you and Isobel from it"

Rhys snorted, "That was a weird time. Look love, you could have given it a miss this month, he doesn't know that we are here, you're still not well."

"Rhys, I've told you, I made a promise, I always come on his birthday."

Ianto took a deep breath and thought _Its August, god it's me in there. Oh my god!_

"Dad, he's lucid now, he's more with it. And he's been asking for you both, and him, well more him than anything. He's finally been weaned off the drug Fraticain, but that always leave its mark. He's a little more 'normal'."

"He was never normal after the first accident." Replied Rhys

Gwen gave Rhys a 'look' "Are you surprised? One touch of that thing, and he wakes up as a woman?"

"Yeah well so did we, well me, I was you and you were me, was a bit of a laugh for a couple of weeks"

"Mmmm. A barrel-full. We swapped for 5 whole months."

"At least you didn't get the morning sickness"

"No I just got your body fit and then bam, suddenly as huge as a house and pregnant with twins. Yeah a barrel- full of laughs"

They both sighed, "Actually it was quite funny watching you deal with the sickness. And your face when you realised…" She giggled. Then sighed "Wasn't funny for him though was it." Took us nearly 3 years to return him to a sort of normal, then we cocked that up."

"Hard to imagine how that felt, at least I was female to all intents and purposes. What happened to him was just so wrong. "

Ianto was really on edge now.

"Tavy is here" Duncan interrupted them

"You know I'll never know why you've never got with her, she has a soft spot for you."

"Family business or what? I want to get away from Aliens and Torchwood"

"So you sit out here on a ship in the middle of nowhere, looking after the fall out from the rift"

"They're not fallout! They're human beings even though they're affected"

"Shush love" Gwen rested her hand on Rhys' arm to stop any further arguments.

"I don't suppose he's back?" Duncan asked hopefully.

Gwen shook her head, "No they're trying to track the wrist strap, but nothing yet. It's like he disappeared from the universe. It's that bloody Doctor again."

Ianto's ears pricked up_, Shit! it is me! I'm a victim of the rift, oh my god, I was a woman?'_ He leant against the wall of the lift they were in.

The lift doors opened, Ianto saw him, leaning against the door. The familiar long grey greatcoat, soft dark hair cut into the nape of the neck, the sand coloured boots. Ianto's heart flipped, he knew now that it was him that had been affected by the rift. What was left of him now he wondered?

The figure turned and looked at them as they left the rift. It wasn't Jack.

"Christ Tavy I always forget how much you look like Jack!" Exclaimed Rhys

"Yes but she has Ianto's brain and sad eyes too, Hello Tavy, Does he know you're here?" Gwen asked warmly.

Tavy shook her head. "I was just watching him he looks so sad. So distant, he's not here with us. I would have said he's away with the fairies, but having seen them, he's defiantly not with them. We've made them our allies now. They have Jasmine, that's all they wanted, now they want to help, or rather Jasmine does."

Duncan wandered over and slipped his hand into Tavy's, who gave it a little squeeze. Gwen noticed and smiled to herself.

"Mum, Tavy has found the key, we can get him back to normal, to how he was before, but we need your approval, As his legal ward you need to agree to it."

"Done, there's a 'but' isn't there?"

"Yep we need the Doctor to come back too"

"Right as soon as we can then it's to be done. No questions even if you must kidnap them both, as soon as they show up, I want them here." She paused to take a deep breath "Right let's get this rolling"

She sighed, straightened herself and strode in to the room.

"Hello Pet? It's me, I came back. I kept my promise"

The figure just stood there not listening

"Sweetheart?"

No response, He carried on leaning against the window, his forehead pressed against the glass, he just stood there staring out to sea. She stepped forward again and rested her hand on his shoulder.

Slowly his opposite hand raised and he held hers and tilted his head to one side so that their hands rested against his cheek.

Ianto could see how thin he was; faintly on his arms scars could be seen. On his back further scars could be seen underneath the thin T-shirt. Claws or knife marks, Ianto couldn't decide.

"Where is he?" his voice, thick with years of alcohol and drug abuse rasped.

"He's not here. You know he left with the Doctor…after your change"

Rhys interrupted, "you've told him that at least 30 times"

"And I'll tell him another 30!" she snapped back

"What change?" The figure asked, as he turned round to face them all. Ianto gasped. It WAS him. But despite the obvious abuse he'd hardly changed, he'd hardly grown any older.

"Do you remember the time we all touched that artefact, we all changed? I became, Rhys and he became me. You changed too. You were a woman for a long time, you had a daughter. We managed to change you back. The Doctor found the key. Do you remember?"

He shook his head slowly. Gwen continued…"After Tavy was born, everything went down hill, and more aliens and artefacts came through the rift. The three of us constantly under attack, but not just from the Rift, our own government turned on us. It wasn't until the Doctor came back and fought alongside us that they left us alone. You hardly slept, you hardly ate, and you relied more and more on the Fraticain and hypervodka. Then Cornelia came back, she came back to you to die, but you saved her, you spent months with her. We looked after Tavy whilst the pair of you fought for her life. But you saved her do you remember? Then that thing came through the Rift, and you changed again. Do you remember?"

The haggard Ianto shook his head. Then a racking cough shook his body. Slowly the coughing came to a stop.

A voice came from over Gwen's shoulder. "You need to get that cough sorted" They all turned to see the new visitor. Grey greatcoat, Dark Hair, Usual boots, but this time no billion watt smile greeted them, just sad eyes,

"Jack!" shouted Ianto although he knew he couldn't be heard. But his surprised turned to shock when the others yelled.

"Ianto!" and crowded round him.

It clicked in Ianto's mind; somehow he and Jack had swapped minds and bodies.

Swiftly the Ianto in Jacks body strode round everyone to kneel beside the man inside his own body. "How are you?"

With a speed the frail body really should not have, Jack stood. "You left me, You abandoned me. You chased the stars and I had to stay. Wrapped in your skin, a permanent reminder of what I had lost." He accused with a force that forced Ianto back. Tears formed in his eyes. "Why did you go? What did I do that made you go?"

"I had no choice. I had to go. My leaving was one of those unchangeable time events. If I'd have stayed I would have died, as would you, Gwen, Rhys, everyone. I had no choice. You cannot believe how much I tried to come home. You abandoned us once, do you remember that" Ianto looked sadly at everyone. Holding on tight to Jacks hand he stood and turned to the others. "Please?"

A tearful Gwen shoo'd them out of the door, to the man beyond in the corridor.

Unseen Ianto stood inside the room, watching himself in Jacks body, holding Jack tight in his own body. "I'm sorry" was all he said

The noise on the edge of his hearing intensified, he managed to hear Gwen shout outside the room, and looking round saw her attacking the man stood solemnly stood there. Blue suit, floppy hair, cheeky eyes it could only be one person. "You took him!"

"Wooah! Let me explain." Words tumbled from the mans mouth

You bast…"

He heard no more as the hissing crackling noise resumed. It amplified, attacking his ears, it became painful, so painful that Ianto fell to the floor, hands over his ears screaming in pain. Eyes tightly screwed up he missed Jack and Ianto still holding on to each other look directly at him as he disappeared.

He only stopped screaming when a soft hand was placed on his shoulder..

-x-x-x-x-x-

A soft hand was placed on his shoulder, "Ianto? Are you ok?"

Ianto took his hands off his ears, and looked around. He was sat on the deck, knees up to his chin, rocking slightly. He sniffed, and then looked up. Cornelia knelt beside him,

"What is wrong Ianto?"

"I can't make that bloody noise go away. It's always there, constant, hissing and crackling. Every time it gets louder something weird happens to me."

"Come on we need to get warm, it's almost dawn, tell me about it in the café" She helped him up. Shivering from the cold he hunkered down into his jacket, stuffed his hands into his pockets and sniffing followed her.

Slowly they made their way through the opulent corridors to the Café Parisienne. They sat there, hidden from view by the large planted palms. Ianto reached into his jacket pocket and removed his pocket watch, wallet and finally a large handkerchief. He blew his nose loudly.

"I'm sorry. I don't usually crack up like this" he apologised. Cornelia just shrugged. "its ok, every now and again it has to come out. Bottling it up is not a good idea." She glanced at the watch," Where did you get that?"

"What this old thing? You know I've had it years, I can't remember where I got it from. Had it with me so long now its almost part of me. I think it's a one off, I've never seen anything like it before".

Cornelia took it from him and turned it over in her hand, inspecting it minutely, To all intents and purposes it was a simple fob watch, the facia a simple white with roman numerals. The three hands were not ornate or special in any way. It basically did what it said it would; tell you the time in hours, minutes and seconds. The clasp at the top was no different. From there you could attach a chain, or ribbon. The Piece beside it wound the watch up, and on top of that the little button to start the second-hand for a timer. By pressing the whole piece down, the timer would be reset.

"Tell me what has upset you Ianto, What have you seen?" she gently asked him, leaning forward.

He could smell her perfume, all heady roses and summer smells. It brought a memory forward of sitting on his mothers best friends knee whilst she told him stories of her father. The unflappable adventurer, who fought wild things and saved little tribes of people in faraway lands, the man always had a travelling companion, someone who would fall over at the wrong time, or inadvertently say the right thing. He had many friends in many lands, but was always lonely.

Ianto revelled in those stories, often pretending to be that adventurer, fighting off wild tigers, or mad elephants. At six years old anything was possible. And then she left. Disappeared into the night. She left no word to her friends. Not even a goodbye to a little boy who idolised her. It was then Ianto changed into a secretive, moody child. Frustrating everyone with his silence. But he used his brains, he became a master at manipulation without anyone realising it. He was obedient to the letter of the law. Until he went to university, where free from anyone who knew him growing up, he changed again. Events at Torchwood one changed him again. Till slowly he became the Ianto every one now knew and one eternal man loved.

Cornelia reached out to him, gently touching his hand. "Well?" she asked.

Words, slowly at first, then in a great jumble, managed to tumble out of his mouth. He told her about Torchwood one, Lisa, everything, down to manipulating things so he would often bump into Jack when on a weevil hunt. He even managed to release the Pteredon, so he could help Jack catch her, and eventually work with Jack. He remembered the Brecon's and the cannibals, opening the fridge to find body parts. Of Jack coming to save them in that bloody big tractor.

She sat and listened, all the time playing with the watch. She made him feel safe, everything he was and had done tumbled out. "But what about since you came on this ship. What have you seen?" she asked again. He sighed and sat back, closing his eyes.

He told her of the noise constantly in the background, the crackle that had been with him since they came on the ship. He told her of the search for Jack. She sat and listened. The back of the watch opened to reveal the inner workings. But they lay uneasily on top of something else. She flipped the workings over to show minute swirls and cogs, each intertwining, tiny diamond twinkles winked in the half light of the Café. He paused, and opened his eyes. As he did he caught sight of the watch, its innards open to the world to see. A crimson glow started from deep inside the watch, it raised up surrounded both Cornelia and Ianto. "Carry on. Tell me what you've seen" Cornelia repeated. As if oblivious to the glow. unbidden words rose in Ianto's mouth and he carried on. He told her of the memory of him fighting some ancient warrior, back home in Wales. About standing in the sacred place and calling up it's spirits to help him fight. Of the realisation he had killed someone with his bare hands. He wiped his nose again.

He told her of the strange ship where there had been two Jacks, and strange women. The trip in the Doctor's TARDIS. And how it felt like home. He told her of the Flat Holm ship and what he had seen there. He told her of Gwen's future fight with Leukaemia, and of Tavy.

All whilst talking he was enveloped with the crimson glow. Their coffee's sat on the table in front of them growing colder, untouched. The light of dawn started to peek through the windows, and Ianto's eyes became heavy. He rested his head on his hand, whilst talking, then as his elbow slowly slid across the table his eyelids finally closed and he slept, his head resting on his arms.

When Cornelia was sure he was asleep, she replaced the time keeping element of the watch, and completely closed it. Gave it a little polish on her skirt. From the depths of the pocket in her skirt, she removed her pocket watch – identical in every way, compared the time, and gently replaced Ianto's in his Jacket pocket.

She stood beside him and stroked his hair, "Chameleon Arch" She whispered, "Also takes the memory away and stores it. You may need them one day. My little one." She kissed the top of his head, "I wanted to have been able to stay for you and your mam." Was all she said before walking away.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

It must have gone well past midnight by the time Gwen managed to get a moment to herself. She and Jack had woken Captain Smith to report on their non-existent findings, only to be told of visions of metal men in the lower decks and more passengers missing.

The submarine that had been alongside them had either submerged or disappeared during the last lurch. None of them had any idea when or where they were anymore. Being in the middle of the ocean, with no visible points of reference did not help. Gwen had constantly looked in the sky for contrails from planes or something, but fate was against her.

Officer Lightoller had managed to convince any one who asked that they were hitting hidden currents as she steamed to the Americas, and these cross currents were the cause of the occasional lurch or surge forward of the ship. It seamed plausible enough, so this was the story circulating the ship at the moment. Jack surmised that they eventually were back in 1912 when Phillips and Bride from the radio room reported getting ice-warning messages in from familiar ships.

All she could think was that she was so very tired. Her legs were killing her from the running around on the ship. She made a mental note to get better boots to run in. She sighed again. Molly had gone off to her room, to mull over something. Apparently she'd had an idea on where this accelerator could be. Her Ex-husband has told her about this thing Ismay had been waving around, to 'Enhance the power' of the engines. Cornelia had wandered off to find Ianto, and Jack had gone back to the room mumbling about washing of the dirt of his past. She sat in the only open place; the Café Parisienne absently minded stirring a cold cup of tea.

She needed to sleep. She missed Rhys and wondered if they would actually get off this ship, If he ever suggested a cruise holiday she swore she'd ram the brochure where the sun doesn't shine . It wasn't often that she worried about what they were doing, but here they were searching for something they'd never seen. They were gradually running out of time. They had around 24 hours left. They'd had worse odds before and beat them, but this she felt was a little different, this time they were fighting not only the accelerator, but also history.

Once in the room, she collapsed on to a chair, sleep threatening to overtake her. She managed to take off the skirt and her boots, and simply sat there, in only her blouse, knickers and socks. She didn't care, she was finally comfy. She stared at the wall lost in thought before she finally lost the battle with sleep, her eyes closed and Gwen dreamed.

She was standing inside the hub watching the water tower descend. There on the platform, cradling something in her arms was Tosh. Gwen chewed her lip, she knew this was wrong, Tosh was dead, Owen too. Harper and Gray had ensured that. The lift levelled Tosh stepped down. The thing she was cradling mewed, and struggled to be free. A small silver tabby kitten jumped down, and made a beeline for Gwen meeping at her.

"You know you can bring me back. All you have to do is use the glove." She heard Tosh's voice underlying the insistent meow of the kitten."

"They're Broken" Replied Gwen

"So you think that only one pair was ever made? Think about it, there are always opposites. Darkness and light, death and life. Find the opposite pair and you can…",

Gwen's eyes snapped open.

"Bloody dreams" she mumbled.

She stood and walked to the entrance to the bedroom and peered round the door. Jack was sprawled on the bed; an arm thrown out as if searching for someone. He snored; apart from his underwear he was naked. The wound from the shot had healed faster than she thought possible. She ran her eyes over his body, appraising each and every muscle. He defiantly had a nice pair of legs, firm bum too. He stirred.

"I know you're there watching me" he said, eyes still closed

She blushed "Sorry. No TV here and room service is frankly pants"

"Talk to me Gwen." He rolled over and patted the side of the bed. "We haven't done that for a while"

"We never did." She replied wearily.

He laughed, "No you talked, we just had trouble stopping you. Could never get a word in edgeways" He patted the bed again.

She paused" I won't bite" he reassured her. "Unless you want me too" She made her way to the bed and perched on the edge, her back to him and her mind racing.

"Well? What do you want to talk about?" She asked

She felt the bed move as he crawled across it. He sat behind her and massaged tired muscles in her shoulders. She gave in, and let the relaxation flow over her… She rolled her head to one side, enjoying the firm caress.

"That's so nice" she murmured.

His hands made his way down her back, to the base of her spine and then back up again. She felt like jelly. The only thing holding her upright was sheer will power, which was fading fast

She felt him pull back her loose hair, exposing her neck. He leaned in to kiss it. It was tender, gentle, and full of want. He carried on kissing around her neck. His hands snaked to the front of her blouse, and started undoing the buttons. Her hand flew up and stopped him. He carried on kissing, nibbling her ear.

"Ianto" she murmured

"What?, do you want him to join in?" asked Jack

"What! No! No I just…." She melted. Had no way of stopping him. She had wanted this for a long time.

She let out a low moan; Jack had managed to wheedle one hand down to her knickers. She hadn't expected him to be gentle as this. As if reading her mind he moved back away from her and roughly yanked her backwards down on to the bed.

He moved around the bed and straddled her, his back to her. She wriggled but his knees had pinned her arms to the bad. With a practiced art he deftly ripped her knickers off. His intimate kisses at first gentle became rougher as his tongue worked magic. She couldn't move, but then again she didn't want to. He finally turned to face her, and saw her eyes close. He re-straddled her and leant down further to kiss her exposed breasts.

Cornelia sat on the cold tiled floor in the bathroom. Her head rested against the hanging towel. Her eyes were closed and a lazy smile crept across her face. From the bedroom she heard Gwen moan, She looked towards the bath, pressed her finger against her lips, indicating silence. She stood and grabbed the Webley from Jack's holster, lying across the floor. In her bare feet she opened the bathroom door.

Neither had heard the bathroom door open. Cornelia could see Gwen and Jack on the bed. But something was wrong, Apart from the part that Jack was severely trying to 'do' Gwen. Cornelia didn't even need to think about it. She pulled the hammer back. It was a moment too late that Jack heard the click of the weapon being primed and the hammer fall. With inhuman speed he turned to look at Cornelia, too late, his brains splattered across the bedspread, the body lay lifeless on Gwen.

Shocked she wiggled out from under the body. For once in her life she couldn't speak, she couldn't scream. Staring from body to assassin it took a moment to register Cornelia. She stood there quiet calmly, Webley in her hand; pointing it still where Jacks head had been.

"What the hell?" Gwen finally managed to get out.

"That's not Jack" Replied Cornelia Calmly

"Like hell it was!"

"Honestly its not. Aren't you married?"

"What the fu..?!" Gwen resorted to swearing profusely.

The bathroom door banged open; Gwen pulled her gaping blouse together, distinctly aware of the draft below. She looked towards the newcomer, who stood dripping wet, brandishing the bathroom chair like a weapon. Then at what was left of Jack on the bed.

"What the Hell is going on?" She asked a little calmer now, although she could easily return to panic at a moments notice.

"I so enjoy saying this…told you so" Smirked Cornelia at the new comer

"Congratulations Gwen, You've just missed out on being Mrs Banshee." She continued

Gwen looked at Jack in the doorway and the Jack on the bed. Confusion was beginning to reign.

Jack left the doorway, leaving a trail of wet footprints on the deep pile carpet. He looked down at the bed, at the copy of him. "Oh. Banshee." Realisation then hit him. He started to laugh. "You thought that was me?" he asked Gwen pointedly.

She riled "Why not? It's a perfect copy."

"No its not, I look nothing like that"

"Yes it bloody is!"

"It's not Jack. Jack definitely has more head"

Cornelia burst out laughing. Gwen burst in to tears.

"What happened to me? Why me? Why that? You will never speak of this again…please?"

"It's alone. It needs to breed and feed. Look, Banshees feed on emotions and sex is usually pretty full of one emotion or another. It must have latched to you when they killed Jorgen. They can pick up on what you want, mimic it, manipulate you and there they are waiting with exactly what you want, so they get what they want."

"But why Jack? Why not Rhys?" Gwen asked trying to recover what dignity she had left.

"Only you can answer that one Gwen" answered Cornelia. She turned to leave, and then turned back to Jack.

"Oh for the love of the gods, put some clothes on Jack" she sighed exasperated.

He waggled his hips at her suggestively.

"Oh go and put some pants back on! "

She replied before leaving the room.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Molly wandered lost in thought through the ship; she held her bloodstained gloves in one hand, occasionally hitting the other hand with them. At one point she realised she was doing that, but if anyone had noticed the blood they were far too polite to say anything. That sort of thing was never done in polite society she mused. No the world could be going to hell in a hand basket and all 'Society' would comment on would be the lack of standards of the basket. She'd fought hard to get to where she was today, but all she was to the 'elite' was a disgusting amount of new money, but to those back where she'd come from, all she was happened to be was a disgusting amount of money.

Leaning against the railing around the promenade, thoughts boiled in her brain, raven's black, coal black, a small box, dangerous, and time leaps. Each item confused her more. She tried to mentally itemise what she knew.

It was not of this world.

It was black – of a kind

It was small, approximately 3.5 inches by 2 inches

The thickness of her little finger.

It had immense power.

It made time jump around, hence the submarine thing, and the junket, those metal men in the lower classes.

She stumbled backwards, just managing to maintain her balance by grabbing hold of the rail. She looked up as a roar came over her head. She'd seen something like it before at home, when they were barnstorming, tiny little tri-winged aeroplanes doing loop de loops and acrobatics, but out here in the middle of the ocean? Something was not right. This one was far from land, it only had a single wingspan, her eyes watched it wheel round and follow the ship. She turned and faced the prow, her jaw dropped as the Titanic steamed through a small convoy of ships. They sailed majestically between two warships, both flying the Union Jack. Each warship's massive guns pointed at the Titanic. The crew of each ship lining the facing side, each one of them staring, opened mouthed. She stood proudly, and smiled regally at each one of them. She then looked straight ahead and watched the sea, looking for what she didn't know, but it just seamed right. Her eyes caught the bow wave; it was much higher than normal. She glanced up at the pennants hanging from the lines around the ship. They danced madly in the non-existent breeze, and then suddenly they were still. She felt a little lurch forward, and looking down realised the bow wave had returned to its normal size, She searched the surrounding ocean for the ships they had sailed through .The surrounding convoy had disappeared.

She raised her hands and placed fingers at the pressure points either side of her head.

"Think Molly" she told herself.

After five minutes she gave up, she needed to speak to her husband. Even though they were divorced, they still were good friends, and often would talk problems through, the other simply being a pair of ears. Each knowing that nothing would be expected in return, except silence, whilst the other worked through the problem.

Molly eventually strode into the Gentleman's club searching for James. The steward once again flapped around her, trying politely to insist that she leave. She found her little group of men hidden amongst the high backed chairs, wrapped in blue smoke from their cigars.

"Ismay!" exclaimed the Major, "Cant you keep these blasted women away from the club?"

Ismay snorted. "There's nothing wrong with Ladies in their right place, Major, and may I say madam you are a fine figure of a lady"

Molly rolled her eyes, and James saw the warning signs. Ismay was well known within certain circles for his love of whiskey and women, usually together. However Molly just winked at Ismay, and turned her back on him.

James stood and made his excuses to leave for a few moments, and followed her back on deck.

They wandered around the promenade again, Molly taking the slow measured steps of someone thinking and talking whilst they worked through things.

Together they passed a family playing quoits, against the backdrop of a setting sun. Another young couple smiled at them. Her chaperone clearly visible from their seats. James listened whilst Molly rambled. Finally she got to the nub of the problem. She stressed the importance of secrecy to him. Then explained what she was actually looking for.

When she'd finished, she silently gave him credit that he didn't scoff or try to convince her that she had fallen in with crazy people. When he was confident that she had finally finished he took her hand and looked at her,

"Does your intuition feel right?" he asked her. Mutely she nodded "Then it probably is right." She smiled at him. "Thank you" was all she said.

They had unconsciously made their way back to Molly's room. James stood awkwardly outside. It reminded her of their first meeting, each attracted to the other but a little afraid of doing the wrong thing. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and closed the door behind her. There she flopped on the easy chair placed there to relax in and stared into space.

Subconsciously she thought about her new friends; Mr Jones was unreadable, he kept everything close to his chest. He was an enigma wrapped in a puzzle. However, she had caught on to his little secret, the way he made slight suggestions, small movements or eye contacts with the Captain showed who really was the dominant force in the team. Gwen was constantly trying to be something that she really wasn't. Molly knew that feeling well enough. Cornelia, beautiful, but constantly searching for something, her loneliness wrapped around her like armour. And Jack, oh he was handsome enough, but she felt there was something wrong. Although she liked him, Molly felt uncomfortable around him. He was clearly waiting for something, or he was being made to wait. The fact he had healed in front of her own eyes was slightly unsettling, but she could see the sorrow and loss he had suffered underneath the veneer of charm and sparkle.

After a while she rose and crossed to the desk and started to write in her journal. Again striving to make sense of what she had seen, been involved with and knew. Half an hour later she threw her pen on the desk, "It's so drastically little!" she exclaimed.

The clock chimed well after midnight, soon it would be dawn and the trail would start again. Sleep was beginning to wind its heavy arms around her and she struggled to stay awake.

Molly eventually succumbed to sleep and dreamed.

Her dreams were invaded by strange sounds and images, of gunshot wounds and crying. She flew through the stars to far away places, and walked on frozen snow covered earth with a young man and a flame haired girl,. She watched as a vision of Captain Harkness faced down overgrown pepper pots, only to be hit by a ray of light.

She stirred in her sleep crying out, but the arms of Morpheus wrapped tighter around her and threw her back into her dreams. She again saw the Captain, this time in a uniform, dancing with a young blond girl high above the streets of London, the face of Big Ben close, then running from people with something over their faces, a constant cry of mummy following him. Pepper pots and metal men fought, in a strange building over looking a river, a man reaching out to a young blond who disappeared.

In another place, a man appeared in a filthy shirt covered with a red uniformed Jacket. He oozed sexuality and confidence. He was definitely a 'cad'. He kissed Gwen, and left her to die, he pushed the Captain off a building made of glass, with no thought, but yet gave the Captain a decent burial. She watched, as the only emotion that flickered was sorrow as he kissed a ring and threw it on Captains body. Throughout all of these she stood unseen holding on tightly to a small black box. She woke with a start as she realised that the Captain was not dead, but being buried alive.

She sat up with a jerk; she'd fallen asleep at her desk. The journal was damp from where she'd dribbled slightly on it as she slept. She rose and crossed to the bathroom. Wearily she stared at herself in the mirror, a wry smile crossed her face as she noticed the ink from her writings had smeared onto her face as she had slept on the journal.

She managed to scrub her face clean before crossing to the small window and peered out into the clear starlit sky. In the ships lamplights, she could see a lonely figure leaning on the railing, starring across the sea. Curiously she watched as the man leant further over the rail. She could see him heave over the side; he obviously had no sea legs. The man turned round, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. A wry smiled crossed Molly's face. So Captain Harkness wasn't as invulnerable as he made out, she thought before turning away from the tiny window and flopping onto the large bed. Once she'd been to chapel in the morning she would tackle the problem again, she thought before dropping off into a silent sleep.

She woke with a jump as someone knocked impatiently on her door. She called out for them to be patient, whilst she got her mind into a morning space. Quickly wiping her eyes on a cold face cloth she opened the door. A delicious smell of breakfast wafted from the tray being held by her ex-husband.

"James?" she almost cried out

"You looked like you needed it, besides, like you, I've been thinking" he replied.

As she allowed him in he crossed the room and placed the loaded tray on her paperwork.

He poured her a cup of tea as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"I've been thinking" he repeated "this problem of your friends. Ismay has bragged constantly of his little find that can increase the power ratio of the engines and make this ship go faster. He wants the ribbon. He's obsessed. The engineer has made something that can link the two. It's being tested at 9 o'clock." He glanced at his watch, "10 minutes. I'm going with them to witness this 'new dawn of speed' as Ismay puts it. I'll tell you about it later"

He turned to leave.

"James" Molly's voice was just above a whisper,

"I…" she paused, changing her mind over what she was going to say. "Thank you."

He smiled at her. Together they wondered if it was a bad idea divorcing.

10 minutes later she had finished her breakfast and was still looking at the notes she'd made in her journal.

Despairingly she threw her hands up in the air. Her head told her it was Ismay who had the Accelerator, but something nagged at the back of her mind. It made her uneasy accepting the fact that Ismay would be the one… His drive, his determination and his obsession with the Ribbon made him the easy culprit.

She changed into fresh clothes and made her way down to the chapel, praying for some divine inspiration, whilst hoping she would be wrong.

As usual Molly felt out of place. She was seated with some of the richest people in the world, on the most glamorous ship in the world and she didn't belong in their world. The women, proud as peacocks, wore their long line of righteous wealth in plain view. All they were groomed to do was marry rich men and ensure the birth line continued. The stuffy men, plainly dressed, dabbled in the world of politics or humanism, what did they know of want. What did they care for the rights of women, of children or immigrants? None of them had a soul; none of them had a passion that burned a hope to make this world a better place for all. And since she met the delightful Captain Harkness a desire to protect each and every person on God's earth from a greater threat than anything man could imagine.

-X-X-X-X-X-X

It was 1 pm; the little clock in the gentleman's club chimed delicately, tendrils of blue smoke from various fat cigars wound their way around the little cluster of high back chairs. Each chair contained a shadow hidden from sight of anyone passing; occasionally an arm would reach out and pick up the exquisite cut glass tumbler filled with the pale, golden liquid of very expensive whiskey.

"That was amazing! – Thomas, How long did it keep it up before the bearings seized?"

"About 3 hours" came the reply from the chair opposite.

"We hit 45 knots. If we can keep this up, even in 3 hour bursts we will smash all records and get to New York at least 2 days early." Ismay leaned forward talking animatedly.. Thomas Andrews leaned forward too. "You know that she has" He paused "Let's say shortcomings. The engines haven't been tested properly, the rivets"

Ismay interrupted." You whittle worse than an old woman Thomas. She's unsinkable, she can deal with anything. You made her the greatest ship in the world. Her name will be remembered for centuries old boy."

James sat back, cigar and whiskey hardly touched. The conversations around him drifted over his head.

He'd seen it, the thing Molly was looking for. She was right, Ismay had it. An end of the world machine and he didn't even know it. James' attention wandered and he gazed out of the window. Then back towards the clock. He noticed things he thought. So why hadn't he noticed that the sun was far too low for 1 pm until now?

"I say old boy are you feeling well?" the major's voice interrupted James' thoughts.

"MMM? I'm sorry Major, Drifted off a little"

"You look a little pale James, are you sure you are well?" The major repeated

"Yes, just a little tired, I think I may go outside for a breath of fresh air."

"Good idea!" agreed Ismay. He stood, a little unsteadily.

"Bloody currents, This is the worst they have ever been, wouldn't you say Thomas?"

Thomas looked down at his feet, when ever he was with Ismay he felt as though he was only there on his say so. He didn't have the wealth or the social standing. But he had brains, and engineering know how but even these had been beaten down in the sheer force of Ismay's drive to make this ship the best in the world, and now that same drive was making him make decisions that he didn't agree with, or feel that were safe.

James had had enough of the meandering witticisms and pointless self congratulatory mood, so he made his excuses and left the group. Walking down the corridor he noticed the two men who had been introduced to the group yesterday. Apparently they were the 'future men'. He smiled at them both well they didn't look any different from the rest of them. Yet as he walked past and acknowledged them, he noticed the older man's eyes. Molly had always said they reflected the years. In his eyes he could see years of waiting, of sadness and loss. But underneath that a calculating look returned. James was under no impression that if he was in the way of this man he would be dealt with.

Mentally James shook himself.

He eventually found Molly snooping around the Bridge. He steered her away deftly and told her all of what he'd seen.

"So it is him" she exclaimed. "I need to get it off him and stop it" She chewed a finger nail as she thought. Gently James pulled her hand away from her mouth. "Can you get me a little meeting with him" she asked James. He nodded almost afraid to ask her

"What are you planning?"

"Planning?" She snorted "I haven't got that far ahead yet, but to get that damn thing off him I'll do anything."

James sighed

"I was afraid you'd say that"


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

I may have been two hours later or even earlier, no one on the team was sure anymore. The ship had lurched backwards and forwards so many times, that the only thing they were sure was that they were still on the Titanic, and in some areas of the ship that too was doubtful.

Jack and Ianto were walking down the corridor towards the gentleman's club, still trying to find proof to their hunch that Ismay had the Accelerator. So far all they had to go on was Archie's say so.

The ship was unusually quiet, People were glancing around, and questioning their own vision, strange reports had begun to flood back to Captain Smith. Visions of metal men were being reported now all over the ship. Strange ships had been seen sailing past them. The crew were beginning to become un-nerved despite Jack's easy reassurances.

"How come none of this was mentioned in the investigation?" Ianto asked.

"Shock mainly, plus suggestions planted by various people, don't forget the majority of the passengers died. The ones that survived were women, and they were prone to being delicate and having fits of emotion to cloud their judgements"

"I'm glad you said that sarcastically Jack. If I didn't know you better I'd have finally got round to killing you"

Cornelia's voice drifted from behind them.

"Jack, Ianto where have you been?" Cornelia jogged up to them,

"Don't you ever walk?"

"No. I like running. Makes me feel alive. I think I may have found it. It's below" she turned and beckoned them both to follow her.

"Jack!" Gwen's voice sometimes really grated on him. He knew she meant well, and she was good in the team… he turned,

"I need some help, we think it's in here." Jack rolled his eyes

"Ianto help Gwen, I'll go with Cornelia. Meet back in the room in an hour we don't know how much time we have left" He left Ianto standing as he chased after Cornelia.

-X-X-X-XX

Jack followed Cornelia through the corridors, only slowing when they came across other passengers so not to rouse too much suspicion. Her path took her down through the maze of corridors and stairwells until they finally came to the cargo hold. Through the chink in the door he could see an eerie glow.

"I'm not sure about this. The one in the agency didn't do that… it bodes…

"Bodes what?"

"Just general bodeing… I have a funny feeling about it"

Cornelia just looked at Jack, her mouth open in surprise.

"You're odd do you know that, you've dealt with things like Daleks, Weevils. Hortensia's mother to name a few. Yet a little light bothers you?"

"She was scary, wasn't she? I really felt sorry for Hortensia."

"I didn't. She was a whore, and a leach. She deserved her mother. She was a pain in the backside!"

"You're jealous" Cornelia span round angrily and faced up to him.

"Of what exactly? After I rescued you, you had to knock me out, and swan off with her and that uptight captain. Am I jealous of the fact that she slept with you, in a time when you weren't particularly choosy and craving the drug?. It took me two days to find you. France was not that nice then. You then dragged me round France looking for the Icon, then buggered off with the key! I should have shot you when I had the chance."

"Yeah but I left you a gift remember?"

"True, and it was nicely packaged, You should have seen the look on his face! what's that noise?"

She paused, head cocked, listening to a gentle Whum whum whum in the background.

"Engines? The propeller?"

"No there's something else. Can't you hear it?"

They pulled open the door and slipped through the crack.

The large bay was littered with trunks, cases, and boxes; the glow came from the centre of them all.

"At least this area is safe from mummy's and cats" Cornelia muttered under her breath.

"?" Jack raised his eyebrows.

"Ask Gwen later, Much later to be honest" She replied.

As they edged closer the glow started to pulse, first one colour, then another. They turned a corner to face a car sat in the middle of all the boxes.

"Oh look a car" Jack stated the obvious.

"Yes I can see that"

"It hasn't got steamed windows. Do you want to get the windows steamed up?" he asked

Cornelia looked at him completely puzzled.

"Gwen forced us to watch a half decent film where the leads made out in a car that looked just like this"

"Made out?"

"Had sex, got down and dirty!" he leered, His billion watts smile returning.

"Jack you are terrible, the answer is still the same as last time"

"Oh well can't blame a guy for trying – you know you could play hide and seek here." he mused. His thoughts turned to Ianto.

" Not the way you play it Jack. You cheat. You and that wrist strap should be barred from playing games. Beside its too cold to be naked down here. What is the connection between you and Ianto? I'm not blind, I can see the way he watches you. And as for Gwen! Well a bit disappointed in her, she can do better than you…" Jack pouted at that remark.

"I know you're up for anything really, but does he? Do you feel the same or just looking out for your own pleasures?"

Jack had the graced to look shamefaced. She stood watching him as he struggled for the words. "He's Ianto. More than just a friend or someone to do on a night. He had a girlfriend you know, she…died… I think I was a rebound originally… He knows most of the more important bits about me… He knows my appetites, and that I can't die. But whilst I with him, I've been good"

Cornelia raised an eyebrow in question

"Well, ok kissing doesn't count. That was his rule not mine. He's aware of all my tastes, he's actively taken part in some of them... He also knows that he will die before me, and I'll have to move on, but he will never be anything more than a heart beat away from my thoughts until I end…So what about you? Have you found _him_ yet?" As with always with Jack when conversations got too close to his feelings, he would manage to steer it away so he wouldn't have to say the L word. Love took many forms he knew that, but Ianto was more than just love. It was love, lust, fun, sorrow, more lust, plenty of imagination, a little dangerous, a little patience, probably more than a little on Ianto's side, and a hell of a lot of damn good coffee. He just couldn't say that he loved him, he could show Ianto, but he felt that saying it only cheapened the word.

"No Jack I've not found him yet. Every time I get close he's gone, changed the world, moved on, and disappeared. He's a good man, he bought peace to us, but I wish he would stay in one place long enough for me to tell him I'm here, and that he's not alone."

"I didn't mean your father, I meant Mr Right, husband, lover, father of children etc"

"You mean unlike you Mr Right now? No, but I will soon, one day my dreams will come true. I have faith in that. Look, the light's coming from that box" she pointed to a small box sat on top of a small stack of slightly larger crates.

Jack searched for a crowbar so he could get the box open. Carefully he prized open the lid, once the lid was off the light shone so brightly they both had to shade their eyes. To Cornelia the light pulse with a faint red tinge. To Jack it pulsed green.

"Well that's not an Accelerator. I've never seen one of those before…wait don't touch it, I don't know what it is" He stopped Cornelia reaching out to pick up the small egg sized object.

"I know what it is. It's a Darigont heart" she cautiously picked it up, and cradled it in her cupped hands. The red tinge grew stronger the longer she held it. Jack stepped back; the glow had somehow gone into Cornelia. Something was happening to her. Jack reached out to her, but smiling she batted his hand away. Almost magically she was lifted from the floor, surrounded by the red glow. Her skirts flapping in a wind that only she was in, her blond hair streamed out behind her. She had closed her eyes, a smile on her face. She turned to face Jack. "Keep Ianto safe" was all she said before the egg and the glow vanished and she fell to the floor with a thump.

Jack, unsure of himself, waited for a moment before helping her up. He cupped her face in his hands searching her eyes, looking for any strangeness in them. All he found was peace, and the mischievous glint that Cornelia always had.

"What the hell was that?" he demanded.

"Darigont heart. It reads what dreams are in your soul, it sort of manipulates you on your path to getting those dreams. But it helps you gain what you actually want, not what you think you want. It's complicated to explain, you'll have to trust me. Everything is going to be ok… I think"

" Hmmm"

"Thank gods you didn't pick it up, we'd be up to our knees in Orgies or something" She smiled reassuring him

"Who did that crate belong to?" Jack asked looking round for a label or name etched on the box.

"T Andrews, it says here." she waved the lid at Jack.

"What would he be doing with a Darigont heart?" He asked.

He took the crow bar to a couple of other crates,

"Look!" He explained, "Itanci blaster! A Europan puzzle!," he rummaged in another crate, and pulled out an large intricately carved box." Where the hell did he get one of these? There are only three of these things in the universe"

"Does it matter?" Cornelia asked

"We need to get the Accelerator remember. Come on we have to get back, the others may have had better luck" she continued.

Making their way back through the crates Jack kept his own counsel. Why had the Doctor and Cornelia told him to 'Keep Ianto safe? He also knew Cornelia's dreams, and deep in his soul a little worry crept in and hid in a corner.

x-x-x-x

Ianto looked at Gwen, "Well?"

"Help me move Ismay, Molly knocked him out. She's got a fantastic left hook, wouldn't want to argue with her!"

"Why on earth did she do that? Where are we putting him?"

"Lifeboat." With all the whiskey he drank, he's going to need somewhere to sleep it off, and I don't want him in here whilst we search for the Accelerator."

With some difficulty and a few huffs and puffs they managed to manhandle Ismay into a lifeboat and cover him with tarpaulin. On the way back to the room Ianto asked, "What do you know about Europa?"

"You mean the planet?"

"Yeah"

"It's covered with ice and the NASA scientists think there may be some sort of life there. "Why?"

"It's not mentioned in the archives and as Jack helped some refuges named as 'The Europa refugees' I would have thought there would have been something."

"May be he wasn't working for Torchwood then"

"Maybe, I think something happened to him and he removed the files" Ianto shrugged

"Why would he do that? Lots of things have happened to him and he's not removed the files before, we need to think about now not then come on!"

They re-entered the room and found Molly sat on the bed staring at a small box placed on the table in front of her.

"Could that be it?" she asked. "It's been there in plain view all the time."

"Wait. Why are you in here and why would you want to knock out Bruce Ismay? I'm a little confused" Ianto admitted.

Molly pulled a face, "James, my ex husband, knew that Ismay had something that would make the ship go faster. I put 2 and 2 together and guessed the rest. I flirted a lot with Ismay, and got him very drunk. He told me that something had been found that would increase the speed massively, tomorrow they were going to tie it into the engine permanently and let it go.

"He thought it could take us to at least 40 knots we'd get to America in no time. But, Ismay is a complete man, and believes that women cannot understand technology, our brains would over heat." the way Molly spat out the word man made the word one of the worst insults she could think of.

Ianto smiled. "Don't even go there" warned Gwen "I can programme the video and the conference centre; it's your coffee machine that's out to get me on this. Unfortunately old Ismay got a little 'handy' with Molly and she clobbered him before he could show it her…"

Ianto grinned

"The Accelerator! Christ Ianto you've got a dirty mind." Replied Gwen shaking her head


	19. Chapter 19

The three of them crowded round the desk, staring at the innocent looking item that was just lying there. A faint glow pulsed in time to the distant throb of the engines.

Ianto looked at Gwen,

"So?"

"So what?" he replied

"So is that it? Pick it up then"

The three of them continued to stare at it.

"That is the cause of all these time jumps?" asked Molly "It looks no more menacing than a child's toy!"

"I've seen some of the toys my nephews play with… They sometimes scare me!" exclaimed Ianto

They stared at it a little more

"How did Jack switch it off the last one?" Gwen asked

"He didn't…. he mentioned glitches last time"

"What sort of glitches?"

"Didn't say"

Molly looked at him sharply "Terminal ones?" she asked

"Didn't say" replied Ianto

"Ianto we need to destroy it" Gwen yelled at him

"I'm well aware of that! Any suggestions?" he yelled back

The three of them continued to stare at it. It was no bigger than a credit card, yet as thick as a CD case. Ianto eventually picked it up.

"Where's the off switch?" Gwen asked

Ianto turned the Accelerator over in his hand

"There's nothing on it"

"I wish Jack was here he'd know…"

"Jack! He's good for nothing! Molly exclaimed exasperated.

"Oh I don't know he's good at some things" mused Ianto. Gwen only glared at him

"Now is not the time"

"Oh I can't be doing with this" Molly crossed the room picking up a discarded shoe. She took the accelerator from Ianto's hands, placed it on the desk and hit it several times with the heel of the shoe.

"Molly! What are you doing? You can't hit it with a shoe!"

"Oh I don't know. I thought using a shoe as a hammer was standard for a woman, same as using a knife for a screwdriver" Ianto deadpanned, earning himself a serious glare from Gwen.

"I thought we could just beat it into not working?" Molly suggested

"Based on the evidence behind you… you just may have made it worse"

They turned to see what Ianto was looking at. Stood by the bathroom doorway was a very confused Roman centurion, he raised his sword. Within a blink of an eye an American pilot stood there. He was then replaced by a cyber man who reached out to grab Molly.

"Run!" yelled Gwen.

Grabbing the cracked and damaged device Ianto made for the door, closely followed by Gwen and Molly.

"I'll try and throw this in the boilers maybe heat will destroy it. You two find Jack and Cornelia. Try to stay on this ship!"

Ianto bolted down the corridor. Constantly the surroundings changed, he found himself running down the corridors of the Queen Mary, the QE2, the Lusitania and then some very strange, almost organic corridors. The only constant throughout was Ianto and the accelerator.

He struggled towards the grand staircase at the end of the corridor; people around him disappeared as time surged forwards and backwards as they unwittingly stepped into another time and another ship.

A door beside him opened. Ianto recognised the couple as Isador and Ida Strauss. They turned to look at him and smiled. Light spewed out of the Accelerator and the ship lurched. Ida held her husbands arm to steady herself.

"My dear, I do wish you had not come on this cursed ship. I fear we may not survive the voyage at this rate," he told her.

"We have been through so much and lived together for many years, where you go, I go. Surely you realise that by now."

Isador nodded and pattered her hand and together they walked down a completely different corridor on a completely different ship from another time.

The light died and the Titanic again surrounded Ianto.

He ran down the grand staircase not taking notice of its opulence, or the beautiful skylight that protected it from the elements. Taking two steps at a time he made for the lower decks and the boiler rooms there.

-x-x-x-x

As Ianto raced down the hallway to the boiler room, Molly and Cornelia ran in the other direction aiming to go back to the room. They cannoned into a man who had just come out of his room. Once they had sorted out who's leg was who in the tangle of bodies, Gwen looked at him. Beads of sweat covered his ashen face.

"It's my fault" he stuttered

"No we hit you, I'm very sorry." Gwen insisted

"No you don't understand. All this is my entire fault" he swept his arms around to encompass the world surrounding man returned into the room he had just vacated. Gwen and Molly looked at each other and then followed him in.

His room looked a complete mess; papers and drawings covered every single flat surface in the room. Casually Gwen picked up an A4 sheet of paper. Mathematical equations and engineering drawings covered it.

Molly retrieved a fallen diagram from the floor.

"You're the designer?" she asked

He nodded and introduced himself

"Thomas Andrews. And it's my fault all this happened. The power ratio is too much. Ismay's box of tricks won't work it will blow the engines. I've seen it happen. We sink." He said flatly

"This ship is unsinkable" insisted Molly

Gwen shook her head. "Nothing is unsinkable."

Thomas stared at Gwen intently,"You know the furture don't you? I've seen you, I've seen bodies frozen in the water, I could hear the crack of the ship as she broke in the middle. I heard Mrs Brown, wanting to go back and rescue people. ... I've seen the metal men too, reaching for me, wanting to" he sniffed "upgrade me. I don't think I wanted that"

Gwen interrupted him "Mr Andrews, how did"

He looked at her "I've seen you too. I watched as you killed one of those submarine men. I've seen your friend the Captain die. Some one shoots him"

"Yes well that happens to him a lot, I've wanted to do it myself several times" admitted Gwen "How do you know all this?" she asked.

Thomas reached into his jacket pocket and slowly withdrew his hand. His fingers were tight around a small credit card shaped object. Its depth the width of his little finger, and dependent on where the light hit it the black colour shimmered. At one point, oily greasy black, another flash of purple as a starling's wing.

"This" Thomas whispered.

"If I press the top I see different things, I've seen things you wouldn't imagine."

"Oh I don't know I've dealt with many of those things" Gwen confided.

"Have you dealt with death himself?" he asked

"Not exactly but I know a man who did" her thoughts immediately brought up Owens's fight with death in the hospital. It was a little hard to kill a dead man. Death had found that out, but, as always death was patient.

"Death came here, he's waiting."

Instinctively Gwen turned to look round, but she saw nothing. Molly shuddered.

Gently Gwen removed the item from Thomas's unresisting hand.

"Oh goodness, that's it isn't it?" Molly eyes wide asked Gwen

Gwen simply nodded.

"So what is Ianto carrying?"

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

With the battered artefact in his hand Ianto raced down to the engine room. One thought only in his mind. He needed to destroy it. Hitting it repeatedly with a shoe hadn't helped. Time was jumping regularly now. He could only hope that the passengers who were disappearing around him were somewhere better than here.

As he scooted down the steps to the boilers he passed Jack and Cornelia running in the opposite direction.

"Ianto Stop!" Jack yelled

"I Can't. I have to destroy this. Will heat do it? If I throw it into the boilers will that destroy it?"

Jack urged Cornelia to continue back to the stateroom as he turned to keep pace with Ianto.

"No. Heat won't destroy it. But salt water might. It needs to go into the sea"

"I've got to run all the way back up there? And throw it overboard?"

"No. I'll do it. I'm faster. you and Gwen need to get back to the stateroom to go home… Cornelia will re-jig the wireless to send us home. I'll meet you there."

Together they spun round and ran back the way they came. Lost in the maze of corridors they eventually they burst out of a door and found themselves on deck near the prow.

-x-x-x

Gwen looked at Thomas "Our colleague has something, something from Ismay's room. It's going rather critical. What is it?"

"A Power unit. That is what Ismay wanted to tie into the engines. Why is it 'critical'?" Thomas glanced at each of the women stood in front of him.

"ERM… we thought it was that thing" Molly pointed at the accelerator now in Gwen's hand, "We tried to turn it off"

"How?"

"Errr… we, well me….I hit it… hard… with a shoe"

"So that is why it is going 'critical'"

Molly nodded.

"Hang on. How do you know what it is? And even more importantly how do you turn this thing off?" Gwen asked

Thomas laughed. "I collect things that are not from here. I mean this planet, some people buy them, take them apart and they help us develop new things, new transports, ways to better ourselves, do you understand? I have some more things in the hold, but this intrigued me. I somehow turned it on. "

Gwen repeated herself

"I couldn't turn it of, it just kept on going, bringing these strange sights to us. When it showed me the bodies, I couldn't help myself. I swore at it. It stopped."

-x-x-x-x

Officer Murdoch passed by curiously looking at the pair of them. Ianto was still carrying the rather small battered object. Suddenly the object spewed out a burst of light and the ship lurched. Ice fell from the rigging above them and skidded across the deck. Ianto dropped the object, which slid towards Murdoch.

"Don't touch it!" Jack yelled as Murdoch bent down to retrieve it. Murdoch looked towards Jack and Ianto and smiled. The smile then became a look of disbelief as he looked beyond them. At the front of the ship was a large metallic object, hovering above the sea, at least the same size as the Titanic. It turned and pointed up 90 degrees and shot into the stars leaving a small wake behind.

"What in god's name was that?" Murdoch asked

"Himbrolian rescue ship I think" replied Jack, "45th Century if I remember history" He picked up the object and walked towards the edge of the deck. Leaning over the side, he grinned at Ianto "hope this works" He dropped it into the sea. Together they looked over the edge. Ianto saw it splash, then as it sunk, the sea surrounding it bubbled, changed colour, then water exploded upwards, catching him and Jack off balance. Both fell on to the rail surrounding the deck. The rail gave way and together they fell towards the sea.

-x-x-x-X-X-X-X

In Thomas' room the three of them felt the ship lurch again... "I thought you said it had stopped!" Cried Molly

"It did!"

"Stop it again now!" Ordered Gwen

Thomas was panicking now. The walls seamed to be closing in on him. He couldn't breath properly,

"I..I Can't remember what I said!" he stuttered.

Across the accelerator words flashed 'Time to destruct 15 seconds'

"For Fucks Sake Stop it!" yelled Gwen

Words flashed again across the front. 'Destruct sequence halted'

-x-x-x-x

Ianto felt hands round his ankles as he dangled over the ship. His jacket fell over his head. Items from his pockets fell towards the ocean. He watched as his keys his phone and his pocket watch fell into the water along side Jack. Jack had belly-flopped heavily on the water. The vacuum caused by the explosion, pulled him down into the depths.

"Jack! Jack! Swim!" He yelled. He could feel himself being pulled back aboard. He scrambled back to the edge and lay so he could see over. He counted under his breath, 31…32…33…34. Jack didn't surface. He felt Murdoch's hand on his shoulder, he shook it off and continued counting 55…56…57…58…

"I'm sorry sir, he's gone" Murdoch and Ianto. They strained their eyes to no avail searching the water.

"I'm sorry sir he's gone" repeated Murdoch.

"I think we have bigger problems" replied Ianto "Give me a light"

Murdoch passed him a lantern, which Ianto dangled over the side.

"What's the time?" he asked

"11:40 sir" Replied Murdoch

"Inform the captain… you have a hole in your ship" Murdoch looked over the side to where Ianto was pointing. He cursed then ran to the captain

The ship lurched again. This time due to water pouring through the hole torn by the explosion of the unit. Within 10 minutes water had risen 14 ft inside the ship. Ianto dashed back aiming for the stateroom they had taken over. Gwen heard his footsteps and called him into Thomas's room. Inside was Gwen, Molly, Cornelia and Thomas.

"Where's Jack?" Asked Gwen.

"Gone, he fell overboard." Panted Ianto

"He'll survive" Cornelia smiled. "He always does."

"That wasn't the accelerator" Gwen told a breathless Ianto "This is" she held out her hand. The accelerator snug in her palm. The words 'destruct sequence halted' still visible

"So what just exploded?" he asked

"Itanci Power unit" Explained Thomas again

"oh"

"So world saved etc…" Cornelia said brightly

"Well yes, but now we're sinking. The explosion has ripped a hole in the side. She's taking on water." Ianto admitted

"The ship needs to, its part of your history"

"We need to find your Jack, He'll drown and freeze." Molly insisted

"He's had worse" Cornelia shrugged

"True, but not in 1912" replied Ianto.

Gwen had been watching Cornelia "Who are you exactly Cornelia? You're not from Jacks time agency. Please tell me who you are." Gwen she asked

"Now wouldn't you like to know?" Cornelia replied archly

"Yes that's why I'm asking you" Gwen huffed

"Jack and I go a little way back."

"You're one of those Time agents?"

Cornelia laughed "Oh no, wouldn't want to be one of those, morals of a tom cat and appetites like one. . I'm searching for someone. Right lets get you home " Cornelia snapped out of her thoughts.

"But Jack? And what of the passengers? We can't just leave them to drown? We have to do something" demanded Gwen.

"Jack will be fine. We're in the right place so he will be rescued soon. What exactly would you have me do for the passengers? I can't save more than two or three?"

"Two or three can make a difference" Gwen insisted

Cornelia thought for a moment "I will do what I can"

"At least save Molly Brown, for all she did for us she deserves it."

"I will try" Cornelia promised.

"Now you two we need to see the Captain"

-x-x-x-x

As Jack hit the water he felt the air being pushed from his lungs. Every part of him stung from the slap of the ocean. Then the vacuum from the explosion, dragged at him. Panic rose. He fought to keep it down as he struggled against the downward pull of the vacuum. He struggled up trying to swim for the fast fading light of the stars. His lungs hurt, his fingers were starting to go numb as the intense cold of the ocean started to seep in. he could feel his heartbeat slow. His blood was no longer flowing into his fingers and toes. Against his will his body took a breath. Bitter saltwater rushed into his mouth. He felt it down into his lungs. It became a vicious circle as his body cried out for air. Each time he tried to spit it out more water rushed in. His throat constricted, trying to stop water from entering his lungs. He knew he was drowning. The cold attacked him from inside and out. The rational part of his brain fought valiantly to gain control and make him swim upwards. But the lack of oxygen was making this difficult. The last thing he expected to see was a familiar face smiling at him.

His last thought was "Bugger! Not you guys again"

-x-x-x

Captain Smith had been roused from his rest and finally met everyone on the bridge "Miss Andrews, Miss Gwen, Mr Jones… what can I do for you at this late hour?" he asked

Cornelia took him by the arm, and guided him to a corner of the bridge. "Your ship is sinking. You need to release the lifeboats and call for help."

" We're unsinkable Miss Andrews" his eyes betrayed his confident words.

"Nothing is unsinkable…Nevertheless, you need to call for help and release the lifeboats, the ship has hit an Iceberg and is sinking. Please trust me on this" she explained

Captain Smith glanced at Officer Murdoch and called him over, "Tell Miss Andrews what you told me happened"

As Officer Murdoch explained what he'd seen, and how he'd managed to stop Ianto from going overboard he glanced nervously at Ianto. "Was it a bomb?" he asked Ianto

"No…. what you saw was an iceberg. You hit an iceberg. You saw all the ice on the deck didn't you? The impact knocked myself and Jack off our feet."

Ianto glanced at the clock… 12:05.

"By now Captain the water has flooded at least 3 compartments, all it will take is another compartment and this ship will sink faster than a stone." Jacks voice came from behind them.

The bridge door opened all in the room turned to see Jack squelch into the room, dragging the designer, Thomas

"I thought you were dead?" Officer Murdoch exclaimed

" Figment of your imagination old chap. Some one threw me a lifebuoy. They owed me a favour or two and brought me back…" He shivered involuntarily " It's bloody cold in that water! Thomas confirm what's happening"

Thomas spoke quietly. "She's sinking. The water is going over the top of the first three compartments, one more and she's doomed. If we had hit the " he looked nervously at Jack "iceberg head on we could have limped to New York, but as we didn't, she won't last more than a couple of hours. I would recommend that we get as many off as quickly as possible"

With Thomas's confirmation the Captain swung into action. Ordering flares to be sent up, lifeboats to be uncovered and passengers to woken.

Within the hubbub of activity, Ianto, Gwen, Cornelia and Jack made their way to the radio room. Pushing against the tide of sleepy people trying to tie life jackets around themselves.

Phillips and Bride were sat in the room tapping out the CDQ call.

"Hello again gentlemen" Cornelia smiled "I need but a minute of your time again"

"I'm sorry ma'am but we're in an emergency situation" Replied Phillips

"Just a minute that's all." She smiled again...

"Sorry Madam we can't… oh"

Bride stopped as Cornelia had pulled a gun from one of her many pockets.

"I insist." She told him

"Just a minute that's all I can give"

"Thank you Mr Phillips… now can you just reroute to here" she dragged a wire out of a panel whilst tapping out a code on the pad.

"You've never shot anyone before" Jack whispered to her

"Oh really? Your wrist strap please Jack" she held out her hand for him to place it there. As he removed it he continued to whisper. "You keep saying it's a waste of life, that everyone needs a second chance, and other stuff like that"

"Jack shut up"

"You even let Hortensia's mother have a second chance and she was a bloody vampire!" As he passed it to her she flicked open the back and stuck a wire into it. Then replaced it on Jacks wrist.

She sighed. "You're starting to annoy me Jack"

He turned to Ianto and Gwen. "Bloody great Vampire comes out of the dark. For me, and instead of killing it dead, hits it with a bloody frying pan!"

"I broke its fangs"

"But you didn't kill it!" he insisted

Cornelia looked at Gwen and Ianto. And gave each a hug, but as she hugged Ianto she whispered in his ear. "Say hello to your mother for me, and tell her I'm sorry I had to leave. Don't worry about the watch. I'll get it back to you." Startled Ianto stepped back

Jack was still twittering on about the times she hadn't killed anyone and used him as bait. She smiled sweetly at him, gave him huge hug, then before anyone could do anything. Aimed the gun at his heart and shot him. "Sorry Jack you really were annoying me"

Ianto crouched to Jack watching his blood seep though his clothing and onto the already wet floor, as water poured through the gap in the door.

"Now hold hands" She ordered. As they did she pressed the code button down and the world around them turned black.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

x-x-x-x-x-

Gwen's ears refocused before her vision did.

"She shot me!, She actually shot me! Look, there's a hole in my shirt!

When her eyes finally focussed Gwen found herself on the floor. Jack, sneezed violently and continued his pacing, still complaining and waving his hands around as he spoke. He poked at the blood stained hole in his shirt.

"Jack, you've gone on about it for half an hour, I'm starting to agree with her reasoning for shooting you." Ianto snapped.

"But she's my friend", Jack paused before continuing, "No I take that back she _was _my friend"

Ianto stood and crossed to the radio, which lay on the floor where he'd dropped it. He nudged it with his foot. "I'm sorry Jack it's broken"

"Never mind I'll just have to pinch a new one" Ianto prodded the pieces with his foot again. He jumped as it sparked and crackled to life again, the noise just about audible.

"Gwen, Ianto are you home?" Cornelia's voice came across weakly.

"What about me?" Jack mouthed to Ianto who just shrugged

"Thank you, for all you did and Ianto? Please remember my message… I'll get your pocket watch back to you somehow too; you need to keep hold of it. Jack? One day you'll…" the static took over as the voice died.

"What was that about?" asked Gwen from the edge of the bed. She'd finally sat up as the radio sparked to life, trusting herself not to throw up from the nausea, Ianto shrugged; Cornelia's message had made no sense at all.

"Right" Ianto became business like "Coffee"

"Ianto, you are an angel" Jack stated.

"I Know, I keep telling you, but you never hear me. You're wet, You will catch your death of co….. no you won't will you? Just get dry"

10 minutes later Ianto wandered in to the hub with three coffees and a parcel.

"What's that?" Gwen asked eyeing up the parcel

"My you are Miss nosey today" retorted Jack

"It's for me," Ianto turned it over in his hand noting the postmark "International postage"

Ianto opened the parcel… inside was a note, a pocket watch and a small tuning fork. He opened the pocket watch. Although it had been corroded by water and time his initials were still clearly visible.

"What's the note say?" Asked Jack

"Now who's the nosey one?" Gwen poked at Jack with a pencil she'd swiped from his desk.

Ianto read it quickly

_Ianto,_

_As promised your precious watch. One day I'll tell you the tale behind this watch. Keep this tuning fork close; don't tell any one about it. Not even Jack he thinks someone else has it.._

_Now I've seen you grown up I can leave behind the images of the little boy sat on his 'auntie's' knee listening to tall tales, and see a wonderful grown man. . _

_Please believe me I had no choice but to leave. All I can hope is for 4 things. _

_You forgive me_

_You get to meet your great grandfather._

_And that you never let your hearts words rise unbidden, even when all seems lost._

_I'm sorry._

_I'm proud of you._

Cornelia

_PS Just slap Jack when he gets too annoying… (he really enjoys it)_

"It simply says 'As Promised, with love" Ianto lied

"Good she made it then."

Jack smiled to himself; he was starting to piece Cornelia's elusiveness about herself together. He had one or two idea's about her that he needed to think about.

Ianto pocketed the note, Jack noticed that there was far more on the note than Ianto admitted, but wisely decided not to chase.

They all sipped their coffee quietly. Each of them thinking of the people they had met; each thinking of the lives lost.

Jack was just about to speak, when the Alarms blared out again. The sound ricocheted around the confined space of Jacks room. Each of them sprung up, out of their thoughts, and shot over to the empty workstation.

"Weevils, again. This time in the fairground, and something else just by the harbour." Ianto quickly read out the details.

"Gwen – Harbour, Ianto, with me we're going weevil hunting."

"What joy" sighed Ianto

Five minuets later in the cold empty space of the hub, only Mfanwy was around to listen to Cornelia's crackling voice coming from the broken pieces of radio.

"_Jack. Don't pick it up, Don't let anyone pick it up. I've been collected, they took my memories, they know about you. Jack? __Jack?__JACK?"_

_End_

* * *

**_At risk of sounding like an acceptance speach..._**

**_Thank you for all who's stayed with this... Much appreciatedX_**

**_Thank you to those who's reviewed , Reviews keep me going! _**

**_Big thank you to emelye, Professor herb and angelkitty without those three it would have never got off the ground._**

**_Amazonxxx_**


End file.
